The Jaws of Oblivion
by MadMaxofHazardUs
Summary: A Redguard is wrongly accused of killing an Imperial Legion soldier, and now is about to be executed. However, fate intervenes and he's about to face his destiny as well as his past. THE EPILOGUE IS UP AND THE STORY IS OFFICIALLY COMPLETE!
1. Fate Awaits

The Jaws of Oblivion

Prologue - Fate Awaits

Blood. Luminous, scarlet drips of human blood. It was on his hands and he was guilty. Yet at the same time, he was innocent.

Nothing seemed clear. He had been walking on a floor made of bones, with evil spirits and ghosts surrounding his form. He tried to fight back but his dark calloused hands hit air.

A life of farmwork had given him his athletic frame. But despite his muscles, he had only used them to farm. Not kill.

His life had been simple, care-free, and boring. All that changed the night of the murder. He always carried a sword on him, just in case, but he had never trained with it. Ironically, it ended up being his downfall.

Gnisis had been quiet and peaceful. He had been out walking in the streets, on his way home when an Imperial Guard was attacked by an assassin. The assassin had punctured the guard's juggular vein, killing him instantly. The dark man had pulled out his own sword, but only slashed a little bit of the assassin's uncovered arm.

The killer escaped into the night after that, leaving the dark skinned man next to a body with blood on his sword. Now he was face-down on the ground being cuffed. The image of the assassin flashed before him, more scary and demonic than he remembered. Then a longsword was plunged into his guts and everything went black.

---------------------------

His eyelids fluttered open, a cold sweat coating his body.

Hardly any light shown into the cell save for the sun through the iron-barred window high on the wall.

Aldric rolled onto his side, and slowly got to his feet. He wasn't the strong Redguard he'd once been; his body had deteriorated over the course of his sentence.

_Great,_ he thought glumly, _they execute me today. For something I didn't do._

He dredded this day; he had counted down the days, lost track, then remembered and resumed.

Aldric kneeled up against the wall nearest to his bedroll and prayed. The Nine had been, and still was, an essential part of his life. He prayed for a miracle.

"Give me strength," he whispered. "May Talos guide me."


	2. Freedom

Disclaimer: I do not own Oblivion, but I do own my character.

Here's chapter 1 everybody! Longer then the prologue and things get interesting. R and R please!

The Jaws of Oblivion

_Chapter One - Freedom_

Aldric didn't know the time; he had no sun-dial to assist. It had been five long years since his trial. All-in-all, despite being imprisoned, the guards had been kind enough to give the Redguard a blank journal and a new device called the pen. Almost daily, he used it as a means for his thoughts--and Aldric had alot of them.

If there was one thing he did besides farming, he studied philosophy. He had dreamed of writing self-help books for the people of Tamriel. It had been his dream since he was a boy, and had started keeping track of his thoughts. He had over four notebooks of philosophical writings.

Aldric wondered if the notebooks were still at his cottage. He thought of that small dwelling he had bought on Morrowind the previous summer, near the village of Khuul. It was here that he had found solitude. It was here that he had spent days fishing and writing, and it was farther south in Gnisis where that tragic event occured. That terrible misunderstanding which had brought him here.

He didn't have any clue as to where he was. He had been born and raised in the city of Rihad in the province of Hammerfell, the Redguard homeland. The killing of an Imperial Legion soldier, despite the fact that he was innocent, was a serious crime and Aldric could only assume that a crime such as this had put him in Cyrodiil, the Imperial homeland. He had never been to Cyrodiil, nor had he caught any glimpses of it. As soon as he had been loaded onto the prison ship at the dock in Ebonheart, he had been knocked out cold either by spells or poisons. To this day, he still didn't know

"Look at you," a voice said, interrupting the Redguard's thoughts. Aldric looked up at the voice's origin and sighed. He knew who it was: Valen Dreth, a Dunmer who had been in this prison before he had arrived, so the man said. His cell was directly across from Aldric's, his face half-obscured due to the shadows. Dreth was a vile, rude, prejudiced man, who's words were white noise to Aldric, and he never bothered to respond.

But knowing he was about to die, however, Aldric would give this fool a tongue-lashing.

"You Redguards are all the same," Dreth continued, "thinking you're all high and mighty warriors. You're _nothing_ compared to us Dunmer." His voice was raspy and laced with anger.

Aldric approached the iron door, a smile playing across his face. "You know, for all that tough talk about how arrogant my race is, you've seemed to overlook the ignornance within yourself."

He heard a chuckle across the hall. "You fool," Valen replied. "Have you ever seen a true Dunmer? Have you ever even _been_ to Morrowind?"

This time Aldric chuckled, keeping his voice calm and cool. "Actually, I have. I bought a small cottage up in Khuul for a summer. No offense, but your race could _really_ learn some manners; being called an 'outlander' is really off-putting."

"We hold ourselves in high regard! We have honor! Something you Redguards and that bastard Nerevarine lack!"

Aldric shook his head at this man's stupidity. All his tough talk couldn't be backed up by legitimate facts, which is why the Redguard couldn't stop smiling from the shadows: "May I remind you that the Nerevarine is a Dunmer, just like you. He saved your land from destruction by defeating Dagoth Ur. _That's _honor. So to say that the Nerevarine lacks honor, in essence, is basically saying that _Dunmers_ lack honor." He paused for effect. "Unless, of course, you believe in the Tribunal."

There was silence for a few seconds before Valen Dreth spoke again. "Yes, I believe in the Tribunal and how _dare_ you insult my--"

"Oh, please, stop twisting my words around. And besides, Almalexia was found to have gone mad, killing Sotha Sil in his Clockwork City. She herself had been killed by the Nerevarine, and someone of his caliber wouldn't lie about that. Yet the people he talked to didn't believe him, thus showing the ignorance of _your_ race." Aldric smiled at this intellectual victory.

Valen was silent for a few minutes, then: "You will die today, you n'wah! I'll still be alive! So enjoy your final moments...they will be your last!" This was followed by maniacal laughter, and as if on cue, the wooden door next to Dreth's cell opened. It was a sound he'd been familiar with for the past five years. Except I saw what looked like two men and a woman dressed in distinctive Imperial armor, and another man (this one older) in a mauve robe.

"Baurus, lock that door behind us," a woman's voice called out.

"Yes, ma'am," the voice Aldric thought to be Baurus replied. The sound of locks clicking into place was heard.

"My sons, are they dead?" the older man said grimmly. Somehow the voice sounded familiar to Aldric.

The woman spoke again: "We don't know that sire. The messenger only said they were attacked--"

"No, they're dead," the grim voice interrupted. "I know it."

The armored trio marched toward Aldric's cell, pausing before it, a mild look of shock on each face (and a bit of anger on the female's face). Then the old man stepped into view and things fell into place.

_By the Nine! _Aldric's mind bellowed. _Is that who I think it is!_

"What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off-limits!" the woman yelled, finally gaining composure to speak.

The man named Baurus stuttered, "Uh, the u-usual mix-up with the watch, but..." The woman held up her hand, signaling him to stop talking. She took a key and inserted it into the lock, opening the door. 

Aldric quickly stepped back against the far wall and cupped his hands, crouching to one knee. He figured he'd show respect and stay out of the way. Obviously, something must've been very wrong.

The one guard who wasn't Baurus moved toward his side, but to the opposite wall. Baurus and the woman stepped forward, and the man in the mauve robe looked toward him. A flash of recognition entered the old man's eyes.

"Stand up, boy, let me have a look at you," the old man said. Aldric stood, exiting the shadows, and looked the man in the eyes. It was Emperor Uriel Septim VII without a doubt.

""You! I've seen you!" he exclaimed. "You are the one from my dreams!"

At once, Aldric was confused. Why would the Emperor dream of him? Then again, he had to remember, the Septim bloodline had men who could see more then the average man ever could.

"Your Grace, I don't understand," Aldric said. "Please explain what you mean."

"The stars were right. This is the day," Uriel replied, a weary smile playing on his face through the shadows. "By the grace of the gods I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you too will serve her in your own way."

"Your Grace, I am but a farmer. A peasant. How could I even be of service to this great Empire of ours?"

The smile faded, and Uriel said saddly, "Assassins attacked my sons, and I am next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell." Another thin-lipped smile from an old man who knew his days were finished.

"Looks like this is my lucky day," Aldric said. "Sire, you must understand, I was falsely accused of killing a guard. The assassin--"

"My young boy, the gods have brought us here by fate. Whatever you may or may not have done in the past is now absolved."

The other guard felt along the wall to Aldric's right and suddenly a plume of dust emerged from a section of the wall. Two sections lifted up to reveal a staircase leading underneath the prison.

"Just stay out of our way, prisoner," the unnamed guard growled, and proceeded down the stairs, followed by the woman, Baurus, and the Emperor.

The Redguard gave one last look at Valen. He grinned broadly, waved his hand, and chuckled quietly as he followed the party downstairs through the secret escape route.

The inside of the passage reminded Aldric of Ayleid ruins from times past. Suddenly, from a hidden alcove, four figures in red robes and jet black armor jumped to the floor. They didn't look like they were about to assist the escape, as the daggers in their hands so indicated. _Bound items, _he thought absently. Aldric, having no combat expertise, rolled behind a pillar and watched from the corner.

By this time Baurus, the woman, the other guard, and the Emperor were attacking the assassins with their own swords. The Emperor stayed near the rear though, preferring to avoid contact, but he did get a few stabs of his own dagger in. _He's really taking a big risk, _the Redguard thought.

"Watch out, Glenroy!" Baurus cried, causing the other guard to dodge a swipe from the assassins.

The woman wasn't so fortunate however. One of the armored assassins shoved his dagger into the woman's unprotected throat, causing her to twitch violently. She dropped her sword, blood gushing down her chest plate. She tried to speak, but only coughed up more blood. She slammed into the ground, dead.

"Fuck!" Glenroy screamed. "Captain Renault's down!" He did a backwards spin with his sword, decapitating the last assassin and sending his head to the other side of the room.

Aldric cringed and shut his eyes at the gruesome sight, emerging from behind his pillar. Absently, he scooped up the slain captain's Akaviri katana and held it in his right hand. The party, minus one, made a left and stopped at a door.

"We'll have to go on through this door, sire," Baurus said to Uriel Septim, nodding to the door in front of them, then shooting a glance to Aldric.

"Very well," the Emperor replied. He turned to look at Aldric. "Don't worry, boy. Our paths will cross again." Another weary smile and he turned his head back around.

As Baurus unlocked the door and stepped through, followed by the Emperor, Glenroy glanced at the Redguard with a menacing look. "You're staying here, prisoner. Don't even try to follow." With that, Glenroy stepped through the door and locked in place with his own key.

Aldric was now alone in the passage way. _Damn,_ he thought. _What now?_


	3. The Bowels of the City

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Two - The Bowels of the City

No sooner had the Emperor and his bodyguards went through the old door did trouble come. An old section of the wall to Aldric's right crumbled away, and he heard two high-pitched squeaks.

Aldric held the Akaviri blade tightly in his right hand; he had never been in combat before, but he figured this was going to be a first. One of the rats was almost on top of him, and he attempted to raise the katana. The weight of the blade momentarily threw him off balance, leaving the Redguard open to attack. The rat launched itself into his chest, and the pair fell to the ground.

The rat was furiously trying to rip his chest open but Aldric was keeping the rodent at bay with his hands, which were now oozing blood due to the fact that the vermin was now biting his hands. The katana was at his side, his fingertips brushing on the hilt. A plan suddenly formed in his head, which surprised him.

With renewed vigor, Aldric smacked the rat off his chest into a nearby wall. He grabbed the hilt of the sword, rolled to his feet, and with a loud cry, he performed a downward slash. The rat squeeled before it died, now cut in half. A spray of blood decorated the floor, wall, and Aldric's feet. He shook them lightly to get rid of the blood.

Aldric heard the other squeak and spun around on his heels. Right before the rat proceeded to maul his face off, the Redguard splite the rat's head down the middle, with more blood splashing out. The rat fell to the ground with a dull thud.

The farmed stood in the center of the carnage, shocked at what he had just achieved. He knew it was the warrior in him; it was the Redguard way. Yet he had went against the majority, and shunned away from the violent lifestyle of a warrior or a mage or a thief. He had only used Magicka a few times to burn his un-used crops when the season ended, but that was only a weak Fireball spell. Somehow he knew he'd be using.

He also knew that in order to survive, he'd have to embrace in his inner warrior.

Aldric walked over to the hole in the wall, ducking his head and stepping through. It looked like he was in some kind of caves judging by the old moss growing on the walls and floor.

Nearby, a skeleton was laid atop an old oak chest. A shield--which looked like it was made of netch leather--sat innocently beside the chest, calling out to Aldric to pick it up. He did, fastening it around his left wrist until it was tight. But the bites on his palms and wrists caused pain to shoot throughout his arms, so it took longer then it should have. He also noticed a sheathe for a sword on the other side of the chest. This too went around his waist--a bit tight, but Aldric knew that it wouldn't fall off.

The chocolate-skinned farmer pushed the skeleton off the chest's lid, and popped it open. Inside were a few septims, a lockpick, and a healing potion. The Redguard quickly pulled out the potion, popped the cork free, and dribbled some of the healing liquid on his bites. The burning sensation he felt immediately subsided. Just for kicks, he took a sip. Aldric smacked his lips as it went down, smiling.

"Tastes like cherries," he said to no one in particular. Then he laughed at how absurd he sounded, for saying something completely random. He shrugged, put the cork back in the bottle, and slipped it into his pants pocket. He also collected the gold and lockpick, and proceeded into the bowels of the city.

---------------------------

Aldric neared the end of the "undercaves", as he had called them. Another hole in the wall dumped back out into the shining stone halls he had been in before traversing this cave.

All of this was new to him. He had faced a small contingent of goblins, more of those damned rats, and even a zombie. How _that_ had gotten down here he would never really know, but his Fireball spell made quick work of the shambling horror. Yet Aldric was sure that that wasn't all he would face.

He heard voices up ahead, and recognized Uriel Septim's voice. He walked over to the ledge that led down into the main room. On the far side he saw three of those assassins lying in wait. Uriel, Baurus, and Glenroy took that moment to walk in. Aldric was about to shout that they were about to be ambushed, but it was too late. The assassins dropped down.


	4. Inevitability

_Author's Note: This is the longest chapter yet and I'm insanely proud of it. Once again, I do not Oblivion, but I do own Aldric. R and R please!_

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Three - Inevitability

Aldric had to do something, but as he jumped to the ground, he realized he had underestimated the speed of the Emperor's guards. By the time he reached the party, the assassins were dead.

He noticed that when they died, they no longer wore their bound armor. Instead they were clad in a red robe with a matching hood. Aldric filed that little detail away into his memory.

"It's that prisoner again!" Glenroy exclaimed, his sword still out. "Kill him, he might be with the assassins!"

As Glenroy raised his arm to strike, Uriel Septim's left hand shot out. "Stop!" he commanded, his voice now a hair above his grim tone. Glenroy stopped in his tracks; this was the voice of authority speaking, yet it still retained a gentle, grandfatherly edge.

"If he was here to kill me," the Emperor continued, "I'd already be dead. By the way, what's your name?"

"Aldric, Your Grace," he replied, bowing slightly.

"Ah, yes. Strong name, though it sounds Nordic. Your skin says otherwise, though, so no matter.

"Listen, Aldric. You know of the Nine?"

"Yes, Your Grace. I'm a devout believer in the Nine Divines."

"Then you know that the gods have our fates decided." The Emperor stepped forward, placing a hand on Aldric's shoulder. "As for I, I will go to my grave today, but you...you have yet to begin your journey. Tell me, what sign were you born under?"

"The Warrior," Aldric replied. Ironic, he thought, since his will to be a fighter had been dulled by his rejection of society's expectations for him to be a fighter.

"The stars of the Warrior have blessed you," the Emperor said. "Please, accompany my Blades and I."

Aldric nodded. "I would be honored, Your Grace."

The old man smiled, the traces of weariness now gone.

"Here prisoner," Baurus said, handing Aldric a torch. "Do what you want with this, but stick close and stay out of our way."

Aldric tucked the torch into his belt on the left side and nodded.

The four proceeded forward.

---------------------------

The party emerged at the upper level of a decent-sized room; a long set of stairs overlooking the lower portion of the chamber sat in the center.

Glenroy raised a hand, the signal to halt. Baurus, Uriel, and Aldric froze in their tracks.

"I don't like the looks of this. Stay here," Glenroy mused, pointing to the lower section. Parts of the floor were obscured by the platform they were currently standing on.

_A good place for an ambush, _the Redguard farmer thought as Glenroy disappeared down the stairs.

The trio held their breath, waiting for the guard to reappear. After a few moments, he gave a thumbs-up and signaled for the rest to advance. The trio went down the stairs, with the Emperor sandwiched between Baurus and Aldric.

"Any way out?" Aldric inquired.

"Let's try this gate over here," Glenroy replied, jogging to an iron gate to their right. He banged on it, attempted to raise it, but got nothing in response. "It's not moving, it's a trap!"

"What about that passage back there?" Baurus interjected, nodding to an alcove behind them.

"Let's try it."

The party retreated to a semi-hidden alcove a few feet back, only to be greeted with walls.

"Damn, a dead end," Glenroy muttered.

Aldric was now on edge. The possibility of dying wasn't exciting, nor was the thought of what the Emperor had said to him earlier. If what the last heir had said was true, then Cyrodiil was in trouble. The Emperor kept glancing at him anxiously.

Back in the chamber, the familiar sound of Conjuration magicka echoed off the stone walls. _More assassins,_ Aldric's mind reported. His katana gleamed in the light casted by a lone torch off to his left.

Baurus and Glenroy had also drawn their Akaviri blades. "Stay here and guard the Emperor with your life," Baurus said.

"For the Emperor!" Glenroy cried as he and his comrade charged back into the previous room.

The Redguard farmer turned to the last Septim heir, and their gaze met. Uriel had the look of a man resigned to his fate. He then ripped off his necklace, which had a large red diamond on its chain. He approached Aldric.

"It is here that our time together ends," he said glumly. "But for you, it has only started. Open your palm."

He complied and Uriel placed the necklace in the palm, then closed it. The Redguard stared at his fist.

"Aldric." The farmer looked up. "The Amulet of Kings must _not _fall into the hands of the enemy. Seek out Jauffre at Weynon Priory, outside of Chorrol. He'll know what to do."

Aldric closed his eyes, then opened them. "Why, Your Grace?"

"There is another heir."

_And that's it, right there, _he thought. _It's up to me now._

"Aldric, I can't go further. Today is the day of my death. This sense of inevitability has been with me ever since I had that dream. I saw death, destruction, and chaos. I leave you with one task, as your Emperor: close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

The Redguard didn't fully comprehend, due to the high amount of stress he was under, but the word "Oblivion" seemed familiar. Nevertheless, he had to say something: "I will not fail you, sire."

A plume of dust exploded from the wall behind Uriel, and a secret door flew open, revealing a single assassin in more ornate armor. With amazing quickness, the killer's left arm extended. Aldric felt his feet involuntarily lift off the ground, and he suddenly found himself flying through the air.

He slammed into the wall, pain surging throughout his back and head as he fell to his chest. As the Redguard struggled to stand, what he saw was forever burned into his brain.

The assassin was driving some kind of shortsword through the Emperor's spine, twisting the blade slowly to increase the pain. Blood start running down the Emperor's back and from his mouth, his feet spastically kicking the floor. The tip of the blade managed to barely poke through Uriel's chest, and then the killer withdrew the weapon. He turned toward Aldric.

Panicking, he looked for his katana and discovered that it was on the other side of the room. He cursed, then remembered the torch Baurus had given him.

Aldric withdrew the torch, held it to the wall-mounted flame above him, and side-armed it hard. He didn't expect to kill the assassin, but at the very least, it would buy him time.

The torch caught the assassin in the face; despite his helmet, the flames still managed to catch a little bit of his skin on fire. The fire quickly spread throughout, even going underneath his armor and lighting his chest on fire. The armor itself, however, was unharmed. The man screamed, desperately trying to put out the fire, and Aldric charged.

He ran at the figure with his palm cocked, and slammed it into the bound breast-plate. The killer stumbled and fell back.

Baurus rushed into the room, having heard the scream. He saw the flaming man on the ground.

"Kill him!" Aldric screamed. "Fucking do it now!"

Baurus whirled his blade above his head, with the tip now facing down, and plunged it into the man's chest.

The breast-plate split in half and the sword penetrated the assassin's blackened skin with a sickening _squish_. He twitched once more, then stilled. Baurus removed the blade, now slick with blood. The armor was gone, and unsurprisingly, so was the red robe and hood.

Aldric collapsed onto his butt next to the Emperor's body, the adrenalin slowly wearing off. He could not believe what he had just done. The satisfaction of killing a bad guy also came as a surprise.

"Where's Glenroy?" he asked..

Baurus sighed. "Dead, I'm afraid." Then he finally noticed the body of Uriel Septim VII. "Oh shit...!" He rushed to the body, desperately searching for something. Aldric then remember that the Amulet of Kings was in his pocket.

"The Amulet! Where's the Amulet!" the guard cried, still searching the body.

With a grunt, the farmer stood. "Right here," he said, trodding toward the Blade. "He gave it to me."

Baurus looked shocked. "So it seems. But why?"

"He said to take it to Jauffre--"

"Jauffre? He's the Grandmaster of my Order! What else did Uriel tell you?"

Aldric was silent for a few seconds. "Apparently, there's another heir to the throne," he finally said.

"Hmm. Well, Jauffre would be the one to know," Baurus replied.

Aldric figured that Uriel's statement about Oblivion could wait until he found this Jauffre character.

"Take this key," the guard continued, handing his fellow Redguard a rusted old key. "It'll get you through the remainder of the sewers to the outisde. I'll stay here and guard the Emperor's body. Just follow the arrows on the walls, they'll show you the way out." He paused. "I'll also have your name cleared from the prison records as soon as possible."

Aldric smiled. "Thank you, Baurus. For that I am absolutely greatful. You think that we'll meet again?"

Baurus shrugged. "It's possible, but who knows? If so, I hope it'll be under better circumstances." He too flashed his own smile.

"Agreed. Well, I better get going..." Aldric started for the secret passage, but Baurus called out to him again. The man thanked him for bringing Renault's katana along and Aldric said it wasn't a problem. It was here that he continued onward, with his back-up longsword he had picked up in the undercaves now in his hand.

---------------------------

Aldric dodged left, avoiding an attack from a goblin lackey. He counter-attacked by severing its axe-wielding arm, causing blood to squirt rapidly from the wound. It screamed and writhed on the ground, and the Redguard heard another cry off to his left. He spun on his heel, cocked his leg back, and kicked the severed arm at the incoming goblin, knocking it to the floor. He finished it off with a swift decapitation.

The end was in sight. Aldric had been following the arrows to the end for the past fifteen minutes, slaying every goblin and rat that got in his way.

A long, narrow tunnel lay before him, beckoning to him like a delicious meal. It was circular in shape, and bright light filtered through at its very end. Now excited, Aldric removed the iron bar cover from the hole, hopped in, put the grate back in place, and crouch-walked the length.

Five minutes later, he reached the end. Aldric cocked his foot back and using his hands for support, he placed them on the ground and kicked the grating open. The sudden lack of a surface to stop his kick sent him tumbling out of the hole and down a small hill.

When he got to his feet, he uttered only one word: "Wow."

Before him was a body of water--a river, he surmised--next to a dock. In the distance across the river was an Ayleid ruin, without a doubt. Beyond that stretched dozens of lush green trees that seemed to go on forever, disappearing at the peak of a mountain. _Or is that a hill?_ he wondered.

Aldric craned his neck behind him and the sight of the White Gold Tower nearly took his breath away.

He knew now that he was in Cyrodiil. He also knew that the Imperial City was behind him and with plenty of treasures on hand, Aldric sat on the hillside and planned his next move.


	5. The Imperial City

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Four - The Imperial City

The sun was starting to come up from the west, the glow reflecting off the water. A slight breeze rippled through the trees and the fabric of Aldric's clothing.

"Beautiful," he whispered, smiling at the beauty of nature.

The fresh air and change of scenery helped to clear his mind and to get his priorities straight. On the one hand, he had to deliver the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre. On the other hand, he needed a map of where to go.

After about five more minutes enjoying the sunrise, he started making his way around the hills surrounding the Imperial Prison.

----------------------

Aldric walked through the wide doors into the Imperial City. He had no idea what district he was in, but common sense told him to ask a guard. One of them was off to the side.

He still held some apprehensiob towards the Legion. His mind was panicking, thinking he'd be recognized and thrown back in jail, but after five years, he told himself, no one would know. So he kept at ease.

The guard sensed his approach, and turned to face the Redguard.

"Um, excuse me, sir," Aldric said. "I'm new to Cyrodiil. What part of the city am I in?"

The guard flashed a smile which was supposed to be friendly, but under his circumstances, it only made Aldric nervous. Even in the wake of the Emperor's assassination, the Empire continued to function.

"You're in the Market District," the guard replied. "This section has various services, such as general traders, mage shops, clothiers, weapons sellers, and the like."

This sounded all well and good to Aldric. "That sounds nice, but are there any places to buy maps?"

"As a matter of fact, Cartonius Cartography just opened up next to The Main Ingredient." The guard crooked his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the store's position.

"Thank you," Aldric said, heading in that direction.

----------------------

He re-emerged fifteen minutes later with a full sized map of Cyrodiil (with various points of interest marked) and a large sack for carrying any kind of items. Aldric already had a small bag for gold, which were categorized as one-piece, five-piece, or ten-piece septims for easy counting.

He counted the amount he had collected, which was roughly 350 pieces. Aldric also had the various city maps for Anvil, Bruma, Kvatch, Chorrol, Cheydinal, Bravil, Leyawiin, and Skingrad. Weynon Priory had been marked by the store's properiter Cartonius Zunius, a friendly Imperial who was knowledgeable on Cyrodiil's vast landscape. He also found out that the body of water he had seen earlier had not been a river, but it was in fact Lake Rumare, which circled the entire city.

But before he set out for Weynon, Aldric wanted a better sword and shield. He walked to a store called "The Best Defense", and received a warm greeting from the Redguard and Imperial owners. He bought himself a silver longsword and an iron shield, costing him about half of his gold. He thanked the owners, exited, and made his way to the Talos Plaza District.

He reached the gates, passing by the Chestnut Handy Stables, and then proceeded to cross the bridge to the mainland.


	6. Fort Ash

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Five - Fort Ash

The sun was now high in the sky, casting a mildly irritating heat wave on top of Aldric's shaven head. It felt burnt, but he would've been sweating if he had hair. Thanking the Nine for being born hairless, he trekked up a hill on a winding twisting path that would lead him to Weynon Priory outside of Chorrol.

So far, he had passed a small settlement named Weye and the Wawnut Inn, and an old, abandoned fort named Fort Nikel (all of which he had marked on his world map with a grease pencil, writing the names and a corresponding symbol to go along with it).

Another fort was off in the distance, not far from his current position. Aldric heard a growl not too far, and he drew his sword. He listened closely, cautiously approaching the fort. Then he saw a wolf emerge from the bushes off to his right, charging at him.

Aldric sidestepped as the beast leapt off its legs, and crashed his sword down onto its neck. The head flopped around loosely on a small shred of skin, a fountain of blood gushing out out of the nearly headless wolf. It rolled down a nearby hill, the blood taking the time to stain the grassy hillside and mar its pristine beauty.

The Redguard was amazed with himself. He had quickly picked up the warrior traits that had been dormant inside of him for so long. _Maybe when all this is over I can go back to farming, _he thought absently. But thinking that was ridiculous, as this adventure hadn't even begun yet.

This fort had been designated as Fort Ash, according to the stone lettering above the entrance arch. Aldric pulled out his map, along with the grease pencil, and marked the approximate location of Fort Ash. He put the map back in his sack, and continued toward the opposite arch, sword still drawn.

As he reached the opposite archway, Aldric felt a presence off to his right and there stood a Khajiit with a hostile look on his face.

"Your money," he spat, "or your life."

Aldric furrowed his brow. "Neither," he replied. He knew what this was: a classic robbery attempt. He had seen them before in Hammerfell and suspected that they were commonplace here.

The Khajiit barred its teeth, withdrawing its shortsword. "I'll make you eat your heart, Redguard!"

The cat performed a stabbing motion, which Aldric dodged by parrying with his shield. He knocked the highwayman's attacking arm out of line, and retaliated with a thrust of his own. But the Khajiit was quick; he rolled out of the way and took a slice at Aldric.

The blow connected and left a gash in his right forearm, now bleeding. Aldric ignored the initial pain, and cast a weak fireball spell from his right palm. The fireball singed the humanoid cat creature and it shrieked as its fur start burning. Aldric charged and swung downward at the Khajiit as it rolled on the ground to put the fire out. It also managed to roll out of the way of his blows.

_This bastard's tougher then he looks, _the Redguard thought.

The Khajiit highwayman kicked at Aldric's legs, propelling him up into the air and on his back. He dropped his sword in the process, his anger now increasing. He launched himself at the Khajiit, punching the hell out of him and also receiving some blows himself. Then the pair were locked in a bitter struggle over control of the cat's shortsword, with Aldric trying to prevent it from going through his eyeball.

"You must be pretty desperate for money," Aldric groaned as he pushed back the Khajiit's wrist.

"Very much so," his opponent replied.

"Well sorry to burst your fucking bubble, but I just ran out of cash."

The Khajiit's grip slackened ever so slightly and his face took on a look of confusion. "What?"

Aldric kicked the animal in the groin, causing the grip on the shortsword to slacken even more. He ripped it out of the cat's claws and plunged the sword into its neck. The animal started coughing up blood, attempting to growl and pull the weapon out of its neck, but only tearing the flesh around it more. It gurgled on bubbling blood for a few more seconds before succumbing to its wound. A large pool of blood had formed around the body.

"He won't be stealing money anymore," Aldric remarked quietly, removing the sword and tossing it into the bushes nearby. He pulled out his last healing potion from the undercaves of the Imperial Prison and poured it on the wound. The bleeding stopped almost immediately, and the wound started to coaugulate. He put the cork back on the bottle before continuing on his way to Weynon Priory.


	7. Weynon Priory

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Six - Weynon Priory

On the way to Weynon Priory, after his battle with the Khajiit Highwayman, Aldric passed by the Odiil Farm which he marked on his map. He wasn't too far from the priory, as he could see a church steeple jutting out through the trees.

He finally came upon a large establishment: a two-story stone building was directly in front of him, and the chapel he saw through the trees was off to the right. A small little adobe with a straw roof sat to the left of the big stone building, probably living quarters he surmised, but he couldn't be sure. Beyond the priory, he could barely make out the great walls that surrounded Chorrol.

Aldric approached the big building, knocking on the door. A man in a brown robe and balding hair greeted him.

"Hello, traveler," the man said, "I'm Prior Maborel. What is it you seek?"

"Hi, I'm looking for a man named Jauffre," Aldric said, figuring it'd be best to cut to the chase. "Is he here? It's gravely important."

"Yes, of course, he is right up the stairs. Come in, come in."

Aldric walked in as the Prior closed the door. He bounded up the stairs in front of him.

"Just go right, he's probably reading," Maborel called to him.

Aldric turned right and approached a man who was also balding and wearing a brown robe, except he looked older and his hair color was lighter. He looked up from his book. "I'm Brother Jauffre. What can I do for you?"

The Reguard pulled out the Amulet of Kings from his pocket. "I've come with the Amulet of Kings, Sir Jauffre."

Jauffre's eyes narrowed slightly. "This cannot be. No one but the Emperor is permitted to handle the Amulet. Let me see it."

Aldric approached the table and handed the Amulet over. Jauffre glanced at the trinket for several seconds before speaking: "By the Nine! This _is_ the Amulet of Kings!" He stood and drew a small dagger. "Who are you? How did you get this! What do you know of the Emperor's death?"

The farmer knew that it wouldn't do good to strike this man down, though he did notice that his hand was hovering on the hilt of his longsword. "I was there when he died. He told me to bring it to you while trying to escape the Imperial City."

The old man sheated his dagger. "I apologize for that." He walked over to the window behind him and looked out. "Things have been crazy as of late. Can't trust many people these days." He turned back to face the dark-skinned man. "As unlikely as you story sounds, I believe you. Only the strange destiny of Uriel Septim could have brought you to me carrying the Amulet of Kings."

Aldric sighed. He had almost killed a man in cold blood, but thankfully his apology put him at ease. He sat in the chair on the opposite side of Jauffre's desk. "He said to 'close shut the jaws of Oblivion.' What does that mean?"

Jauffre scowled as he took his seat again. "His meaning is unclear to me as well. The Emperor seemed to perceive some kind of threat from the demonic world of Oblivion.

"The Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, is one of the lords of Oblivion. But the mortal world is protected from the daedra of Oblivion by magical barriers."

"So where does the Amulet of Kings come into play?" Aldric asked, now leaning forward a bit in his chair.

"I'm not sure," Jauffre replied. "Only the Emperors truly understand the meaning behind the rituals of coronation.

"The Amulet of Kings is ancient. Saint Alessia herself received it from the gods. It is a holy relic of great power. When an Emperor is crowned, he uses the Amulet to light the Dragonfires at the Temple of the One in the Imperial City.

"However, with the Emperor dead and no new heir crowned, the Dragonfires in the Temple will be dark, for the first time in centuries."

This didn't look good to Aldric. If the Dragonfires were these 'magical barriers' Jauffre had referred to, and they were gone, Cyrodiil would fall. "There is another heir."

The old man nodded, much to the relief of the Redguard. "I am one of the few who know of his existence. Many years ago I served as captain of Uriel's bodyguards, the Blades. One night Uriel called me in to his private chambers--a baby boy lay sleeping in a basket. 

"Uriel told me to deliver him somewhere safe. He never told me anything else about the baby but I knew it was his son. From time to time he would ask about the child's progress.

"Now it seems that this illegitimate son is the heir to the Septim Throne...if he yet lives."

Aldric's curiosity couldn't sustain himself. "The Emperor was attacked by assassins who wore red robes, but conjured bound armor before they attacked. They came in numbers, sir, so I ask where this heir is."

"His name is Martin. He serves Akatosh in the Chapel in the city of Kvatch, south of here."

Aldric pulled out his map, and made a mark with his grease pencil. Kvatch was displayed rather clearly, but he didn't want to lose site of his objective.

"You must go to Kvatch and find him at once," Jauffre continued. "If the enemy is aware of his existence, as seems likely, he is in _terrible_ danger."

"Don't worry, Brother Jauffre. I'll make sure he gets back here safely. But before I go, may I use one of your beds? I'm awfully tired."

"Oh, go ahead...uh, I didn't catch your name."

"Aldric," he said proudly.

"Ah, I see. There's an extra bed across the hall if you go up the other set of stairs. Just tell Brother Maborel that you're staying here." He paused. "And please let me know if there's anything you need. My resources here are limited, but I will help in any way I can."

Aldric smiled. "Thank you, Brother. I appreciate your generosity. I think I'm going to rest up, and then head to Kvatch ar nightfall."

"Sounds good," Jauffre said. "I'll see you later tonight then. Until then, good night Aldric."

He nodded then marched down the stairs to the opposite set of stairs. He took off his shield and sword and lay them on the floor on the opposite side of his bed. He crawled under the heavy cloth covers and was instantly warm.

Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.


	8. Nightfall on Kvatch

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Seven - Nightfall on Kvatch

Sleep hadn't been peaceful. He had two nightmares, one right after the other, both ending in his death yet occurred in two different ways.

It was about seven in the evening, according to the sundial nearby. Prior Maborel was no longer in the bed next to him. Aldric grabbed his iron shield and silver longsword and trodded to the other wing of the Weynon House. He told Jauffre he was about to set out for Kvatch, and the brother monk walked around his table and opened a chest next a bookcase.

Inside was a complete set of steel armor, which he took time to put on. It felt a bit heavy on him, but that was mainly due to the amount of weight he had lost in prison. Aldric was sure he would gain it back in no time.

Also inside the chest were various potions and scrolls, of which he pocketed all of them. He thanked Jauffre for the assistance, and Jauffre in turn told him to find Brother Maborel at the stables behind the Weynon House.

Aldric exited the House and proceeded under an arch to his left toward the stables. Prior Maborel spoke to Aldric, allowing him to take his Paint Horse, saying it would speed his journey. Aldric happily obliged, hopping onto the back of the paint horse. The prior said not to worry about the horse and that it was very docile and would listen to anyone riding it.

The Redguard said, "Giddy up", and the horse started _clip-clopping _on the cobblestone. He stopped the horse in front of the Weynon Chapel, went in to say a prayer to Talos, and then he was back on the horse speeding off to Kvatch.

The sky rapidly turned to dusk, and a purple-silver moon raised high into the night sky. Aldric had passed through the town of Skingrad--a lovely town, he thought--and was now coming up on Kvatch. 

Along the way, the Redguard farmer cut down various bandits, rats, wolves, and even a brown bear that had got in his way. He was weary, nearly worn out, and looking for a brief respite.

Then he saw the walls of the city high up on a hill. He gave the paint horse a smack on the rump and the horse picked up speed. It rounded a bend and and came up on a small encampment at the bottom of the hill. An Altmer man came running down the hill at him.

"Run!" he screamed. "Run while you can! The city! Overrun! Daedra! Oh lord...!!" He went screaming past Aldric down the road.

_Something isn't right, _Aldric thought, dismounting the horse and tying it to a nearby tree.

As he walked through the camp, the people all looked at him, with eyes wide as though Talos himself stepped down from the heavens. One man was clutching his chest, whimpering in pain, as a woman tried to help heal his wound.

_What happened here?_ he wondered.

Aldric reached the end of the camp and started making his way up the hill. He noticed that the sky, despite being nighttime, had begun to turn red and thunder could be heard in the distance...even though it wasn't raining. The redness of the sky became darker the more he climbed the winding path up to Kvatch.

When he reached the top, he finally understood why.

There, before the gate to Kvatch, was a large circular portal of sorts, colored orange and blood-red. It seemed like it was alive, with energy pulsing from its center. Beyond this strange gateway, he saw fires and smoke reaching over the city's walls.

Kvatch had been destroyed. The Daedra invasion had already begun. Oblivion was here.

_But Martin may still be alive_, Aldric thought. _There's always hope._

He saw what looekd like soldiers on the other side of a barricade fighting back a wave of Scamps. _Must be the town guards. They could use some help._

Aldric withdrew his long sword and charged into battle.

It was a short battle, and six Scamps lay dead in pools of blood (some with limbs and heads missing).

The guard who looked like to be the leader approached Aldric. His army was dull and contained a bunch of dents and scratches. He had a rugged look to him, and Aldric knew he had fought many a battle and wasn't to be trifled with. "Who might you be?" he asked.

"I'm Aldric, sir. Who are you?"

"Savlian Matius," he replied. "Captain of the Kvatch City Guard."

"What happened here?"

"Daedra attacked the city a few hours ago. Almost everyone was killed, save for the few of us and the townspeople down the hill." He paused, looking back at the city, slowly starting to tremble. "FUCK! We failed them! The count and his men are still in the castle, dammit!"

"Calm down, Savlian," Aldric said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Not all is lost."

"You don't understand. They killed nearly everyone. I sent some men into the portal to try and close it, but I haven't heard back from them."

"Do you know if Martin is still alive?"

"You mean the priest?" Captain Matius said, looking up at the chocolate-skinned man. "I saw him leading a group of people into the Chapel of Akatosh, but...I don't know if he made it. We won't be able to find out unless we close that gate."

"I want to help," Aldric said simply.

"What?" Matius asked with a look of disbelief. "You? You're kidding right?"

"I helped you guys out with those Scamps didn't I?"

"I suppose so," Matius conceeded. "Get to it. If you find any of my men, tell them to meet me back here to help defend against any more of those bastards who come out."

Aldric nodded. "Will do, Captain." He wiped the blood off his longsword with the fabric of his sleeve, and checked that his steel armor was securely fit over him.

He turned toward the gate of Oblivion, building up a sprint. Right as he reached the rocky border that surrounded the portal, Aldric pushed off with his feet and jumped through, uncertain of the dangers before him.


	9. The Realm of Uncertainty

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Eight - The Realm of Uncertainty

Aldric re-emerged inside of Oblivion and he could've sworn he had reappeared in hell.

He was on an island and surrounding it was a sea of lava. Two immensely large gates loomed off in the distance on a bridge, currently closed. There were even hints of vegetation growing within this hellish place. Just like outside of Kvatch, the sky was blood-red. He could feel the extreme heat in this place too.

In the center of it all was a massive vertical tower, its ominescense crying out to the Redguard. Something in him told him that he had to get there. Two Scamps were on the bridge up ahead. Longsword still in hand, he charged at them.

One of the Daedra creatures noted his approached and casted a fireball at him. He didn't have time to dodge and it hit him square in his breast plate; it merely stunned him, causing him to rock back on the ball of his heel.

The second one saw him and shot a fireball from his hand. This time Aldric was ready. He sidestepped the fireball and, now in melee range, he slashed off one of the creature's arms. Blood gushed out, but it didnt stop. Instead it picked up its severed limb and started to beat Aldric with it! He parried the blow with his sword, and then dismembered the other arm. Due to blood loss, the Scamp fell to the ground twitching and groaning before dying.

Aldric heard a loud cry off to his left and was surprised to see a Kvatch guard defeating the other Scamp, shoving his sword through its midsection then front-kicking it into the lava in front of him.

"That was impressive, sir!" Aldric called from the other side of the bridge.

The Kvatch guard turned toward him. "Thank you!"

"Your welcome," Aldric replied, walking over to his new ally. "I'm Aldric."

"Ilend Vontius." The two men shook hands. "I'm the only one who's left. The rest of us were trapped, picked off, and killed. The few who were spared have been captured and taken to the central citadel." He pointed to the large structure that was roughly at the center of the island.

"I'll see if I can get them out," Aldric replied sincerely. "Captain Matius--"

"You mean he's still alive?!"

"That's affirmative," Aldric replied, with only a trace of annoyance. "He said that if I found anybody in the realm still alive to send them back to him. He needs all the men he can get to help defend against anymore attacks."

"Right, then. I guess I'll head back through the gate." Vontius paused. "Good luck, Aldric. I hope to see you again soon."

"You will," Aldric replied but Vontius was already running for the portal. The Redguard watched as the soldier disappeared in a flash of light.

Aldric sheathed his sword and moved along toward the large gate, yet to his dismay, it wouldn't open. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he backtracked across the bridge and went left at the fork. Along the way, he came to a large set of hills off to his right. Another bridge was before him, minus the gates.

A thought occurred to him as he crossed: _Watch out for traps._

He felt the ground rumble around him, thinking some lava or an unseen volcano within Oblivion was about to erupt. He looked to his right, and the next thing he knew, he was running for his life as boulders began tumbling down the hillside.

Aldric's panic-stricken look faded once he was away from the hills. He had nearly been sent into the lava lake from two of those boulders.

_Damn place is trying to kill me,_ he thought. _I miss those summer days in Khuul..._

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by a fireball to the right forearm, which sent him stumbling onto his butt. He knew it was a Scamp but as he searched the hellish landscape he was in, he couldn't see it. A second one was shot at him, and he rolled out of the way, retaliating in kind.

His own fireball lit up the Scamp high up on a massive boulder, sending it tumbling over the side and into the lava next to it.

Aldric examined his forearm; it was pinkish, but the skin hadn't been charred yet. He thanked Talos for the armor Jauffre had supplied him. Sitting against a rock, he withdrew a dual-purpose healing potion. He took a cloth and poured a little bit onto the rag. He placed it over the wound, gritting his teeth as the magical healing properties went to work. In this hot environment, the potion against his forearm was ice-cold and it relaxed him significantly. He quaffed down the rest of the potion.

"Damn...watermelon," he commented, smiling. "These double as fruit drinks too." He laughed, recalling a similar comment he had made back in the Imperial Prison. He corked the small pink bottle, and placed it back in his satchel. Aldric took a deep breath, counted to ten, then exhaled.

The main citadel was up ahead. He knew that he would face many a battle inside.

As he approached the citdal's front doors, they seemed to be drawing him in. Aldric knew of the evil swirling about inside of this place. He was ready to face it.

Wiping the sweat that had formed on his neck, he tried to open the door. It held, so he put a little more _oomph_ by slamming his armored shoulder into the rocky door. This time it swung open, and deposited him on the ground floor of the chamber. He was in.

Aldric couldn't help but gasp: a massive column of fire rose from the depths all the way up to the highest tower. It took his breath away, like seeing the White Gold Tower in the flesh for the first time. A sign off to the left proclaimed this place to be the "Blood Feast."

_Such a charming name, _he thought, _got to love the mind of a Daedric prince._

In front of him were two maroonish-black fountains. As he approached one of them, a wave of blue energy rippled. Aldric could feel his Magicka within him being replenished as well as his strength. He felt elated, a new man. He smiled, feeling good as new.

_I haven't felt this good since...since my stay at Morrowind._ The thought startled him, even more so because it was true. But he could save those thoughts for later. Right now, his priority was to close this realm and get back to Kvatch and find Martin.

With renewed vigor and a heightened sense of alertness, he stepped beyond the twin Magicka reserves and drew his longsword.


	10. Climbing the Blood Feast

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Nine - Climbing The Blood Feast

Two Scamps flanked the massive column of fire. Aldric didn't hesitate; he shot off a weak fireball at the one on the left. It got blasted onto its back, and with longsword in hand, he charged and stabbed it through the chest cavity one-handed. It took some effort to pull the sword back out, now slick with Scamp blood.

He heard a screech behind him and on warrior instinct he shoved the blade between his side and inner arm. He felt the tip penetrate flesh, so he drove the blade further between the gap he had created. He quickly pulled it out and a dull thud was heard as the second Scamp hit the ground.

Off to his left, a door opened and a Dremora emerged wearing a black robe. Its red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, looking at him with dead pupil-less eyes. Its face was as black as the robe, covered in faint white Daedric symbols. It drew what looked to be a mace and charged.

Aldric also charged and was about to decapitate the bastard when some kind of magic spell was cast on him, causing him to drop his sword. It was a Drain spell! He could no longer pick up his sword, and was now on the ground, but he still had his shield strapped to his left arm.

The Dremora mage went to perform an overhead strike with its mace, but Aldric replied by holding his shield up high and blocking the blow. He pushed the mace out of line, then blindly swung with the shield.

He grazed the Daedric creature on the cheek, causing it to stumble backwards. Aldric took this opportunity to get up and run at him, punching it in the face. He pinned it against the wall and started pummeling its face with the sharp-end of his shield.

Gradually, the Dremora started to struggle less as the shield beat its face to a pulp, leaving bloody smears and claw marks on the wall. It slumped to the ground, leaving only a stub of a neck there and leaving bloody smears on Aldric's shield. He was mad. He didn't know why the Drain spell had pissed him off, but it did, and it felt good to know that the bastard was dead. He walked over to his fallen longsword and picked it up.

He walked over to where the mage had walked out from, noting that a posting next to the door said "To Rending Halls."

_Still not as charming, _he thought absently, _but a little more welcoming._

He stepped through the doors and walked up a ramp. It eventually dumped him out into a small room that contained another one of those fountains, only this one was red. He approached it and immediately felt so much better and his wounds had been healed. The burn from outside was fully healed, the cloth rag slipping off his arm and into the fountain.

Behind him were two doors that led to the second level of the Blood Feast. He passed through one and emerged at a similar space like the one below. He walked around the perimeter and passed through a door labeled "Corridors of Dark Salvation."

_That's an oxymoron if there ever was one, _Aldric thought.

In this room he dispatched two Scamps and one Dremora mage, this time getting the jump on the mage by putting his sword to its neck, using the mage as a shield against the Scamps' fire attacks before decapitating it.

One of the doors was locked, but the other one wasn't and when Aldric pushed through and found himself on a massive bridge overlooking the realm, he nearly lost his balance. 

He got on his arms and knees. He was afraid of heights. He would take it one step at a time. Slowly but surely he effectively crawled to the other end of the bridge. He knew this because his head hit the door into the next tower. Something had drawn him to it, but he couldn't have resisted even if he had tried.

Aldric pushed through and was greeted by a scream. "Up here! In the cage! Hurry! The Dremora has the key!"

The Redguard sprinted up the ramp just in time to avoid a swipe from the Dremora's sword. Only this one wasn't a mage, but a full blown warrior decked out in Daedric armor.

Aldric pulled out his sword and the two men struck at the same time, sparks flying from the scraping that the two blades produced against each other. The Dremora lord hit Aldric in the chest with the hilt, causing him to double over. The Dremora's large fist crashed into his cheek, sending him flying back down the ramp. The Dremora warrior charged after him.

Aldric's sword was still in his hand, and he swung while still on the ground, cutting off the Dremora's right leg. The Daedra lost balance and fell onto its side, dropping its sword. It eventually succumbed to its wound, clutching its nub as blood squirted out from the wound. Aldric checked its pocket and found a large gnarled key. He put this in his own pocket.

The farmer-turned-warrior was quickly realizing what he had been missing all his life. He finally understood why his Redguard brothers and sisters did what they did. Being a warrior was fun. He loved it. He loved coming up with plans for defeating his various foes, knowing it was dangerous business. He got an adrenaline rush from it. 

He loved combat. _Maybe I can be a warrior _and _a farmer,_ he thought proudly.

Aldric went back up the ramp to the man in the cage. "Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Menien Goneld, just get me out of here!" the man in the cage yelled.

"Hold on," Aldric said quickly, "the guard has--excuse me, had--a key. What will it do?"

"It'll unlock the way to the Sigillum Sanguis, where you will find a Sigil Stone. If you remove the Stone, this realm will collapse and be destroyed. Get up there and take it out!"

"Don't worry, I will. You'll be deposited outside the gates of Kvatch when it collapses, so stay here ande be patient."

"Okay," Goneld said uneasily as Aldric went back down the ramp and out the door to the bridge.


	11. Sigillum Sanguis

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Ten - Sigillum Sanguis

After Aldric crawled across the bridge, he emerged back into the Corridors of Dark Salvation. He walked over to his left where the door he had previously tried to open was; he put the key he had taken from the Daedra and it fit perfectly. He turned it and the doors sprung up.

Aldric walked up another ramp and encountered a Scamp in the middle of the hallway. On the left and right sides of the hallway were two little niches with three holes. He stepped forward and spikes shot out from the holes, spearing the Daedric monster at six different intervals.Blood splashed everywhere as the Scamp fell to the ground in pieces and the spikes retracted.

The Redguard stood still, watching the spike trap activate and retract back into the wall. He studied this activity for a few minutes, before figuring out he pattern: there was a five second gap between the spikes' activation.

The spikes shot from the wall, nearly touching each other. He readied himself for the leap he'd have to make over the pieces of Daedric meat; if he missed, he could very well trip and be severely injured.

The spikes were in the wall, and he jumped.

Right as Aldric landed on the other side of the trap, the spikes shot out again. He sighed with relief. The exit to the Blood Feast's fourth level was off to his right not far from the trap. He went through.

He was greeted with a Dremora mage standing directly in front of him. Aldric swung with his longsword, but only managed to graze the bastard. The mage replied by blasting him with some kind of Frost spell. He felt relieved by the cooling powers of the spell due to the fire column in the center of the room, but he realized he was getting the equivalent of a brain freeze and it hurt.

Despite this, he jammed his blade into the mage's foot, pinning it to the floor. It shrieked a demonic yell and Aldric pushed it onto the floor, breaking its leg because its leg couldn't help to break the fall.

Aldric put his palm only two inches away from the Daedric mage's face and unleashed with a fireball spell. He did this three times, leaving the Dremora's face smelling horrid due to incinerated flesh.

The farmer walked around the length of the fourth level, but couldn't find a way to the Sigillum Sanguis. Frustrated, he examined more closely. On his second trip around, he found a circular pad on one end of the room. Curious, he stood on it and put all his weight onto the pad. He was surprised by the flash of light that he had been engulfed in.

Aldric was now on the very top level, evidenced by the domed ceiling overhead and a door flanking each side of the column. 

_Those must lead to the Sigillum Sangius,_ he thought.

Without any enemies in sight, but with his senses on alert, he cautiously crept to one of the doors, with shield halfway up and sword in hand. Sure enough, the door said "To Sigillum Sanguis," and he pushed through.

The room he emerged in was somewhat different then the previous ones. It was light-colored and in the center of the room he heard some sort of high-pitched whine. According to that fellow Geneld, the Sigil Stone was in this room and the Stone would make the Oblivion gate collapse.

He crept through the corridor he was in to an arch in the wall nearest to him. He cursed as he saw two Dremora mages and one Dremora warrior patrolling the room. The Sigil Stone was spinning around inside of a fiery vortex in the middle of the room, up a set of stairs made out of giant tooth-like beams.

Aldric did the only thing that made sense: he ran.

He ran in an all-out sprint up the stairs, immediately gaining the attention of the Dremora in the room. He didn't stop running, even when the Daedric warrior went to take a slash out of him.

Aldric, panting and out of breath, reached out for the Sigil Stone. The whole room seemed to be light up with fire...in fact, fire covered the entire room! But yet he wasn't harmed. He felt a gigantic rumble, as though an earthquake were occuring. The Dremora warrior and mages seemed to vaporize right before him. And then there was a blinding flash of light, then blackness.


	12. Finding the Heir

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Eleven - Finding the Heir

"Hey, wake up!" a faint voice called out. It sounded familiar yet distant.

Aldric's eyelids cracked open a bit. It hurt to blink. The feeling he felt was like waking up from a nap. "Where am I?" he asked.

"Outside of Kvatch, of course."

_Oh, it's Savlian Matius, _the Redguard thought. He gradually stood up.

"You did it!" Savlian shook him slightly. "You closed the gate and saved Kvatch!"

The farmer perked up, craning his head around. He was up on the hillside behind the barricades that Matius' men had erected. It was still night-time, and a light rain was beginning to fall. He looked towards Kvatch and was surprised to see the Oblivion gate closed. Then he realized that he himself had shut it.

_Did I hit my head or something?_ he wondered. _Ehh, probably not._

"What's next?" Aldric asked.

"Why, we storm the city and wipe the rest of those Daedric bastards out!" Kvatch's captain of the guard replied.

Aldric unsheathed his own longsword. "I'm all for that. Maybe we can get Martin out too."

Captain Matius nodded, turning to face his men. "Men, draw your weapons! This man, Aldric, is the Hero of Kvatch! But this isn't over yet. There's still Daedra within the town itself! Let's get in there, kick some ass, and retake our town!"

A loud chorus of "hurrahs" and "yeahs" was heard all the way down the hill to the encampment and they too could be heard shouting with triumph. It put a smile on Aldric's face, knowing he was helping the greater good. The rain was now coming down heavier then before.

"Let's go!" Savlian screamed, and he ran for the gates followed by his men and Aldric. He bashed the gates with his shoulder, and with the help of the other soldiers, it burst open.

"For Kvatch!" they all screamed, charging at the Daedra in the city. There looked to be three Scamps, two Clannfear, and one Dremora mage. Aldric had read about Clannfear in books; they were dangerous, quick enemies with sharp claws for tearing the flesh off of their opponents. Aldric's armor, however, would ensure that he'd be safe.

One of the guards, an archer, was taking potshots at a Scamp. One of his arrows managed to strike it in the leg, causing it to stumble, but it didn't lose steam. One man was mauled across the face, leaving a

Aldric ran at a Clannfear, dodging its claws and slashed with his sword, cutting its head off. He saw another guard on the ground about to be executed by the Dremora mage. Wanting to avoid this, Aldric chucked his sword hard at the mage, catching it through the back and pinning the Daedric bastard into the nearest wall. The blood ran down the walls, quickly washed away by the pouring rain.

Yet in doing so, he lost his weapon and a Scamp jumped on top of him, viciously attempting to claw him in the face. The cowardly Daedra managed to nick his cheek a little bit, causing a sliver of blood to trickle into his mouth. Ignoring the rustic taste, he decided to focus on blocking the bastard's blows.

_This piece of shit is surprisingly strong, _Aldric thought.

Then suddenly, an arrow entered the Scamp's right ear and entered out the other, causing the creature to collapse upon him. Aldric pushed the creature off of him, and discovered it was the same archer who had taken a shot at the other Scamp earlier.

The furious clashing of swords and blood-letting had ended. The contingent of guards had only lost one, but the Daedra lay on the ground in crumpled, bloody heaps. He walked over to where the Dremora mage had been pinned to the wall. He put his hand on the corpse and pulled the sword out, sheathing it.

"Captain Matius, you said Martin is in the Chapel, yes?" the Redguard farmer asked as he walked toward the group, just to be sure.

"That is correct," the captain replied. "Follow us into the Chapel, Aldric."

He gazed at the destruction all around him. The steeple had been snapped off of the Chapel, laying uselessly on the ground like a baby giant's forgotten toy. Fires flickered throughout the once great city. Upon reflection, Aldric removed his world map and grease pencil and placed a big 'X' over Kvatch. He shook his head in dispair, and walked to the Chapel. He entered.

Inside he saw two guards standing around, one of them a female Redguard. The two looked at each other and nodded. Aldric approached her and asked, "Where can I find Martin the priest?"

She turned toward the general area behind her, pointing to a man. He wasn't sure if she was pointing to Martain specifically or the chapel itself, but he wasn't going to ask. "He's back there, helping some of the survivors cope."

"Thank you," he replied, walking past the staircase that led to the undercrofts. Churches weren't much different from the ones in Hammerfell, he realized.

He wasn't sure if this man he was approaching (who was wearing a green robe and sporting long jet-black hair) was Martin, but he figured he would find out. He tapped the man on the shoulder.

The man whipped around with surprising quickness. "Have you brought help?" he asked. "We've been trapped here since the Daedra overran the city."

"The Emperor told me to find you," Aldric said simply.

The man's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Emperor is dead. Who are you? What do you _really_ want with me?"

"You're Martin, right? The priest?"

"Yes, I'm a priest. Do you need a priest?" He stepped in closer. "I dont think I'll be much help to you. I'm having trouble understanding the gods right now. If all of this is part of a divine plan, I'm not sure I want to be a part of it."

"There is a plan," Aldric said, hoping to appeal to Martin's faith, "we're part of it."

"What plan? What are you talking about?" Martin asked suspiciously. "I prayed to Akatosh all through this terrible night, but no help came...only more Daedra." He paused. "What can you possibly know that would help me make sense of this?"

Aldric marvelled at his surprisingly calm attitude, but that was soon about to end with his next piece of news. "Martin...you're Uriel Septim's son."

He knew Martin wouldn't take it well, as the look of surprise and a few involuntary steps back indicated. "Emperor Uriel Septim? You think the Emperor is my father? No...you must have the wrong man. I am a priest of Akatosh. My father was a farmer."

_So was mine,_ Aldric thought. _And so am I. _"The Daedra came here for you."

"An entire city destroyed to get at me?" the priest asked. "But why? Because I'm the Emperor's son?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know. It's strange...I think you might be telling me the truth."

_Exactly,_ the Redguard thought.

"What does this mean?" Martin continued. "What do you want from me?"

"Come with me to Weynon Priory," Aldric said.

"Alright, let's go. If I have people to meet, I might as well get to it."

The two men left through the door Aldric had come into. They exited the ruined city, climbed back down the hill, and the pair mounted Prior Maborel's horse and took off for Weynon Priory.


	13. Cloud Ruler Temple

_Author's Note: Jesus, this is the longest chapter yet! So enjoy! Thank you to Kaiser for reading. It matters most to me even if only one person reads what I write._

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twelve - Cloud Ruler Temple

It was almost dawn when Aldric and Martin reached Weynon Priory via horseback. As they approached and dismounted, however, he saw Eronor running towards him with some strange figure in tow. That's when he realized it was the same type of assassin that he had encountered in the sewers!

"Help! You must help!" the Dark Elf yelled. "They're killing everyone at Weynon Priory! They cut the Prior down before he could even draw his weapon! They're right behind me!"

"Get to cover!" Aldric yelled. He turned to Martin. "You, too! Where's Jauffre, Eronor?!"

"He was in the Chapel when I last saw him!" The Dunmer ran for cover behind a large nearby rock.

Aldric was surprised when Martin drew his own dagger. "If I am the next Emperor, I have to act like one."

Aldric couldn't help but smile. He nodded. "Let's go!"

The two men charged at the nearest assassin, with Martin casting a powerful Shock spell that stunned the assassin long enough for Aldric to cut the killer's head off. He saw Martin cringe ever so slightly, but then he watched Martin charge off to take another one down, stabbing him in the throat.

_For a priest, he sure knows how to use a blade well, _Aldric thought.

He saw another man in a long brown robe up near the Weynon House with a claymore attempting to take down another assassin. Aldric cocked an eyebrow; he hadn't met this man when he first arrived. How could he have missed him? Aldric shrugged.

The man in the robe cut off the assassin's right arm, then kicked him to the ground. The two men ran up to this warrior in disguise as a monk.

"God's blood!" he proclaimed. "They came out of nowhere! Where's--"

"Who are you?" Aldric asked.

"Brother Piner, have you seen Grandmaster Jauffre?"

"That Dark Elf said he was in the Chapel," Martin replied.

"Quick! He may need our help!" Brother Piner said quickly.

The trio ran for the Chapel's doors, which Aldric kicked in with a swift foot. Three assassins were attacking Jauffre, and they had to be dispatched of fast. Martin pushed one of the assassins up against the stone wall, pushing his dagger through the man's arm. He casted another Shock spell, which ended up killing the man.

Jauffre had an Akaviri dai-katana from the looks of it, and he did just as well by stabbing the strange-looking killer through the heart. Aldric finished off the last one with a swift disemboweling manuever.

"You're back!" Jauffre exclaimed. "Thank Talos! They attacked without warning."

"Tell us what happened," Aldric said.

"I was praying in the Chapel when I heard Prior Maborel shout," he explained. "I had just time to arm myself." He paused, then a panicked look crept onto the Grandmaster's face. "The Amulet of Kings! Ifear that was the target of the attack. I kept it in a secret room in the Weynon House. We need to go see if it is safe!"

"I'll go and check on the Amulet," Aldric replied.

"We'll go together...but I fear the worst."

They all rushed out of the Chapel and into the house. He watched Eronor emerge from behind his rock and head back into the Weynon Lodge nearby. Jauffre was already up the stairs toward his study. Two doors that he had not seen previously were open. Jauffre was furiously searching the room, but dispair was evident on his face. "They've taken it! The Amulet of Kings is gone! The enemy has defeated us at every turn!"

Aldric gestured to Martin who was standing outside of the secret room, now no longer a secret to him. "Sir, I found Martin. He is safe."

Relief spread upon the older man's face. "So it has not all gone against us, thank _Talos_ for that! We gained Uriel's heir, and lost the Amulet of Kings."

_Not a bad trade-off,_ Aldric thought, _but now I know what my next mission will be._

"Your Grace, you can not stay here," Jauffre said to Martin, gesturing for him to come into the room. Then addressing both men, he said, "We have driven them off, but they will be back once they have learned of Martin's survival. Which they will."

"Where will Martin be safe?" Aldric asked.

"No where is truly safe against the power arrayed against us. But we must play for time at least..." Jauffre's voice trailed off as he became lost in thought. Then his face sparked with delight. "Cloud Ruler Temple. I think. The hidden fortress of the Blades, in the mountains near Bruma. A few men can hold it against an army. We should leave at once."

"Sounds like a good idea." The Redguard turned to Martin, who simply nodded. The Emperor-to-be had been quiet the whole time. The trio exited Weynon House, with Martin and Jauffre heading to the stable to procure horses and Aldric to climb onto the slain Prior's horse. He manuvered the horse under the arch that led to the stables, and Aldric took point with Martin situated between the Redguard and Jauffre.

Along the way, he listened as Jauffre told Martin all of what had happened: specific details surrounding his father's death, where Aldric fit in to all of this, and how he came to the Grandmaster. Then they moved on to talk about the rules of diplomacy: how to deal with the rulers of the other provinces, basic duties and rituals, and the like. Aldric himself found all of this information fascinating; he was getting a behind-the-scenes kind of look at the Empire was ran, at least through the eyes of the Grandmaster of the Blades.

It was about four in the afternoon when the trio finally reached Cloud Ruler Temple, a large fortress high in the Jerall Mountains. Aldric marked it on his world map as he dismounted off of his horse, followed by Martin and Jauffre. The trio approached the doors to the ancient base.

"I've put myself in your hands," Martin said, but whether it was to Jauffre or himself, Aldric couldn't tell.

Someone within the fortress must've seen their arrival, because the twin wooden doors opened to reveal a lone guard dressed in armor similar to the kind Baurus wore. The guard himself was also a Redguard. "Grandmaster, is this...?" he said.

"Yes, Cyrus," Jauffre replied. "This is the Emperor's son, Martin Septim."

Cyrus approached Martin and kneeled. "My lord! Welcome to Cloud Ruler Temple! We have not had the honor of an Emperor's visit in many years! One of your father's trusted blades, Baurus, sent a courier to us telling of your arrival."

_So that's what's been going on while I was in Kvatch_, Aldric thought.

"Thank you," Martin said simply. "But the honor is mine, as well."

"Come. Your Blades are waiting to greet you." Cyrus held his hand out, indicating the large staircase behind him. He started walking up the steps, followed by Aldric, Martin, and Jauffre.

At the top, there were two rows of ten Blades, five on each side of the courtyard. Jauffre took his place at the front left of the formation, Martin in the middle, and Aldric nearest the other set of Blades. Cyrus took his place at the end of the left row on Aldric's side.

"Blades! Dark times are upon us!" Jauffre announced in a powerful voice. "The Emperor and his sons were slain on our watch. The Empire is in chaos.

"But there is yet hope! Here is Martin Septim--" He gestured with his left hand. "--true son of Uriel Septim!"

Aldric saw Martin blush a little bit, not from embarrassment but for being in this position. As one, the Blades drew their Akaviri katanas and raised them as high as their arms would allow.

"Hail, Dragon Born!" they chanted. "Hail, Martin Septim! Hail!"

"Your Highness," Jauffre interjected. "The Blades are at your command. You will be safe here until you can take up your throne."

Martin took this pause to step forward. "Jauffre. Aldric. All of you...I know you expect me to be Emperor. I'll do my best. But this is all new to me.

"I am not used to giving speeches. But I want you to know that I appreciate your welcome here. I hope I prove myself worthy of your loyalty in the coming days.

"That's it. Thank you."

"Well, then," Jauffre stated. "Thank you, Martin." He turned towards Aldric. "And thank you, for his safe return."

Aldric nodded, extremely proud of himself. "My honor," he replied.

"We'd all best get back to our duties, eh, Captain?"

The guards took their cue from this and moved back towards their original positions, some heading for the interior of the temple, some heading to the front for sentry duty, and two even went back to sparring.

Martin turned toward Aldric. "Not much of a speech, was it?" he said quietly, apparently doubting himself. "Didn't seem to bother them, though."

"Martin, I understand this is all new to you, but with time, you'll become accustomed to your duty. The gods have planned each of our fates. In that regard, we are all alike."

"You're probably right...but the Blades saluting me and hailing me as Martin Septim...I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I would be dead by now if it weren't for you. Thank you."

Aldric bowed respectfully. "My pleasure, Your Grace."

"It's like...everyone expects me to suddenly know what to do. How to behave," he continued. "They want an Emperor to tell them what to do, and I haven't the faintest idea..."

Aldric nodded soberly. "Trust me, when your father told me to come find you, within the bowels of the Imperial Prison, I doubted that I could do this. But I'm here and you're standing there. With time, things will all make sense. But right now, we need to get the Amulet back."

"Of course, the Amulet of Kings. We--I--need to take it to the Temple of the One to light the Dragonfires, and stop the Oblivion invasion."

Aldric watched a man jog up the steps and come to Jauffre's side. He whispered something into his ear, the older man nodding his head rapidly, and then the man was off down the stairs. The Redguard heard a distant yell, and the sounds of a horse stomping off down the hill.

"Aldric!" Jauffre said. "I need to speak with you."

The farmer looked to Martin. "Speak with him. He may know what our next lead is. I'll be in the Temple if you need me."

Aldric nodded and Martin Septim walked up the last few short steps to the Temple doors. Then Aldric hustled over to Jauffre.

"You have proven yourself a loyal servant to the Empire," he said proudly, "as worthy as any of the Blades who stand by Martin's side during this crisis.

"As the Grandmaster of the Blades, I would be honored to accept you into our order. Will you join us?"

"Yes, I would like to join the Blades," Aldric replied without hesitation.

"It is my honor to welcome you into our order as a Knight Brother of the Blades."

_Wow, a Knight Brother!_ he thought excitedly. _This is something that I had never dreamed would occur._

"Jauffre, it's occurred to me that we need to recover the Amulet of Kings," Aldric said, raising his arm to his face to block the slowly setting sun.

"You're right," the Grandmaster Blade said quickly. "We must to recover the Amulet before the enemy takes it out of our hands."

"Where do we start?"

"Baurus sent another runner, saying that you should go back to the Imperial City. Apparently Baurus has learned something about the assassins."

"That sounds inviting," Aldric said through a grin. "But I think I'm going to rest before I set out. Is that okay?"

"Yes, of course," Jauffre replied, nodding. "But when you do leave, you'll find Baurus at Luther Broad's Boarding House in the Elven Gardens district. Rest up as nessacary, and set out first thing in the morning. We don't want to waste too much time."

"Understood. Well, I think I'm going to go rest now. So, good night Jauffre."

"Good night, Aldric." Jauffre then moved on to inspect the battlements around Cloud Ruler.

Aldric about-faced and went up the stairs, asking one of the Blades where the living quarters were, which was the West Wing. The Blade also told him that pieces of Blades armor were lying about the temple, as well as a few Akaviri katanas.

"Feel free to take them and use them," the guard said.

When Aldric entered the West Wing, he saw many cots laid out with oak chests at the head. He began to strip off his armor, eyeing the Blade armor at the front of the room.

_I'll put that on tomorrow morning, _he thought.

After he had stripped down to his underwear, Aldric stored the battered and bloodied steel armor in the chest at the top of his cot. He crawled under the covers and closed his eyes, falling asleep within a few minutes.


	14. An Old Friend

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirteen - An Old Friend

Aldric woke from his deep slumber. He saw light creeking through the windows nearby, and assumed it to be morning. He sat up, rubbing his bleary eyes. Surprisingly, he had slept without any nightmares or interruptions.

He rose and the first thing he did was put on the Blades' armor. It fit him snuggly, almost fitting to his frame. All that was missing was a helmet, which he found nearby in Martin's sleeping quarters. Aldric still kept his sheath, however, as that had yet to fail him. He removed one of the Akaviri katanas from its rack, satisfied. It wasn't as heavy as it had been back in the Imperial Prison.

He laughed at himself attempting to raise it and kill that rat. He smiled, exiting the West Wing. He greeted Martin, told him of his plans, received a blessing, then bid him farewell.

Aldric emerged outside. He looked at the shadows casted by the sun, judging it to be about ten o' clock in the morning. He saw Jauffre standing guard outside and approached him.

"Ah, you're awake!" Jauffre exclaimed, smiling. "You all set for the trip ahead?"

"Yes, sir," Aldric replied. "Hey, uh, do you know where Prior Maborel's horse is?"

The smile faded away at the mention of his friend. "He's been hooked up within the fort down the stairs." Jauffre gestured. "Take your time, Aldric. If you receive important information that needs to be acted on, don't come back here. Go right to the source, okay?"

"I hear you, Jauffre. I'll be back, don't worry about me."

"Right, then. Carry on."

Aldric followed the stairs down to his horse (he figured it might as well be his now, with all due respect to Maborel), and unhooked its lasso from a spot on the wall. He patted the horse on the side, then mounted her. He gave a loud "heeyah!" and the horse went charging down the hillside.

The journey from Cloud Ruler Temple to the Imperial City took the better part of three hours on horseback. Aldric now judged it to be one o' clock due to the sun's position.

He pulled up to the Chestnut Handy Stables and dismounted. He found the owner of the estate, paid a small amount of gold to keep his steed for a while, then walked through the double doors into the Talos Plaza district.

According to Jauffre, Luther Broad's Boarding House was in the Elven Gardens district. He pulled out his map of the Imperial City from his rucksack, scanning it closely.

_Northwest of the Talos Plaza district,_ he thought, rolling the map back up and placing it in his sack. _Roughly in the center._

Aldric slowly walked left past the Tiber Septim Hotel, as well as various houses. It was near the end of lunchtime, so the district was crowded with people who were heading home or back to work.

The Redguard inhaled the crisp, noontime air. It was refreshing, and he took this time to reflect on his current status.

In just a day's time, he had gone from being a falsely-accused prisoner to a warrior. It was a radical change, he had to admit. Before his meeting with Emperor Uriel Septim, he had been a a man who shunned the lifestyle of his Redguard brothers and sisters. Aldric had followed a different path, the life of a farmer, just like his dad.

_Father,_ he thought saddly.

He shut his eyes forcefully, stopping his walk just outside the door to the Elven Gardens district. His father had been a great man, even though he had been through some rough times. Aldric's father Futrel had told him about the death of his mother at age twelve, the result of his complicated birth doing her in. He had cried all day when his father finally told him after Aldric had observed him going to her grave one night to plant flowers.

All those nights he had seen his father weep had made sense that night. Aldric angrily confronted his father the next day, demanding why he'd been lied to. Futrel had always told his son that his mother had been doing missionary work, which was half-true.

But his father, despite his troubles, had raised him right. He had shown him how to farm, how to barter, and basically how to take care of himself.

A rare disease had ultimately killed him. Aldric slammed his fist into a nearby wall. _Fucking cancer!_ his mind screamed. Then again, his father had told him to be unique and to be his own person. He would've frowned upon Aldric's accidental path, but given the circumstances in which he had been placed, Futrel would've accepted it with a weary smile.

"Are you alright, citizen?" a voice interrupted.

"What?" Aldric said alarmingly, looking around for the source of the voice. It was a guard, he discovered. "Yes, yes, I'm okay. Just got a headache, that's all."

"You sure you don't need to go to an inn--"

"No, I'm fine. I'm heading to Luther Broad's anyway."

"Ah," the guard said, glancing at his counterpart standing next to the other door. He opened the door to Elven Gardens. "Carry forth, citizen."

Aldric nodded and walked through, briefly thinking of how foolish he had looked. _No matter._

According to his map, Luther Broad's was straight ahead past the intersection. He walked in that direction in the middle of the street and sure enough, a sign with the establishment's name hung lazily above the door. It looked ready to fall off, possibly on someone's head if they were unfortunate enough.

_They should fix that,_ he thought absently. The randomness of the thought surprised him, but Aldric quickly dismissed it. He gripped the handle on the door, pushed, and waltzed into the building.

The place wasn't busy at this time of day, he saw, but logic told him that it would be rowdier by nightfall. Only three patrons were in evidence: Baurus (minus his armor), Luther Broad himself behind the bar, and a man reading a book in the back corner. He looked rather suspicious upon a second glance, glancing up at Baurus frequently.

Aldric calmly approached the Blade operative, keeping his face impassive. Baurus sensed his approach and turned his head slightly.

"Sit down next to me," Baurus said quietly. Aldric sat at the bar to Baurus' right as he took a sip of his ale, then wiping his mouth.

"Listen carefully," the Redguard Blade continued, now whispering, "I'm going to get up and go into the cellar. That man in the corner--" He gestured with a minute jerk of his head. "--is going to follow me. _You,_ follow him. Discreetly."

"Wait, Baurus, what's--"

"We can't talk now!" the Blade interrupted harshly, still whispering. "Just do as I say, okay? You can trust me."

Aldric nodded. He checked his sword slowly, making sure he could get a good grip on it. Baurus took another sip of his drink, set it on the bar, and stood. Aldric's eyes watched the man walk around the left side of the bar, heading for the basement. The door opened, Baurus disappeared from view, and the door clanged shut.

Without moving his head, the Redguard tracked the man in the corner with his peripheral vision. The man, a Breton from his looks, wasn't doing a good job of concealing his jumpiness. He too passed through the basement door. That was Aldric's cue to stand and draw his sword; Luther himself didn't say a word, indicating to Aldric that Baurus had briefed him ahead of time.

Aldric swung the door open and charged down two sets of stairs. He wasn't surprised to see the Breton in the strange jet black armor he had been accustomed to seeing. Baurus and the man charged, swinging their swords, metal scraping metal, sparks flying as the two men struggled for control.

The farmer got in range to attack just as the assassin pushed Baurus onto the ground. Without his armor, though, Aldric knew he would die.

It was in this moment that Aldric felt like a god: he was the decider of life and death. He could choose the death of Baurus and this assassin. But these were minor feelings--he knew what side he was on. He knew his decision. He would be the Nerevarine, and the assassin would be Dagoth Ur.

Aldric slammed his longsword into the killer's back, twisting it viciously until the sword was upside-down. A stream of blood shot out as the Redguard withdrew his weapon and the man collapsed. He banged it against the wall to shake off the blood.

"Bastard was...tougher...then I thought," Baurus said in between coughs. "Check his body."

The assassin's conjured armor had disappeared, revealing the man he had seen earlier. Aldric ripped open the man's shirt, revealing his backside. When Aldric went to roll the corpse over, a book fell free from the man's waistline. He picked it up, examining the strange black book. He looked at the cover; small runic symbols were sporadically splashed about, with the title placed in the center in red lettering.

"Who was this man?" Aldric asked.

"Astav Wirich," Baurus replied. "Bastard had been following me for a while now." He got to his feet, brushing himself off as he did so. "What's that?" He pointed to the book.

"I don't know," Aldric replied, squinting to read the small print of the title. "'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes Book...One?" He pulled his head back slightly with a weird look. "By Mankar Camaron? What the hell is going on here?"


	15. The Arcane University

_Author's Note: While writing this chapter, I had not realized that most of the Arcane University is closed off unless you're part of the Mages Guild. But because I felt that it was more realistic to write it as though it was open, this is what I did. R+R please!_

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Fourteen - Tar-Meena

"I don't know," Baurus said uneasily, "but it might have to do with the information I have for you."

"Alright, let's hear it," Aldric replied, ready to listen after he put Book One in his large satchel.

The Blade operative described at length who the Emperor's killers were: members of a secretive cult called the Mythic Dawn, who were worshippers of the Daedric god Mehrunes Dagon. That was bad news, Aldric realized, having remembered Jauffre mentioning that name back at their first meeting. The good news, on the other hand, was that the Mythic Dawn's hideout could be located by deciphering the clues within the cult's book.

"Well, _books_, I should say," Baurus said, correcting himself. "Since that manuscript was called Book _One,_ I would assume that there would be more than one." He shrugged.

"Hmm," Aldric mused, soaking all of this in. "Well, I'm glad we caught a break. But what's our next move?"

The Redguard Blade operative seemed to be lost in thought for a minute, staring at the ground with a hand on his chin, before glancing back up at Aldric. "I know a mage at the Arcane University. Her name is Tar-Meena. She's located within the Mystic Archives. Go find her and see what you can learn."

"Alright," Aldric replied. "I'll find you here, yes?"

"Correct." Baurus gestured to the body near his feet. "Gotta clean this mess up."

Aldric nodded, heading for the door that led back into the main room. Some guards shuffled by him, giving him curious glances as they went to the cellar, followed by Luther Broad.

_He must've called the Watch,_ he thought, taking out his map to locate the Arcane University before going on his way.

The Redguard was momentarily taken aback upon entering the University's grounds. Flames with blue tongues burned brightly within torch bowls scattered about the grounds. Imperial battlemages, with light blue hoods replacing the standard Watch helmet, greeted him jovially. Students clad in forest green robes walked about at various speeds. Aldric even saw a practice area where aspiring mages were improving their skills in the six different magic schools.

The central tower was, in essence, Little White Gold Tower. Despite not being as awe-struck like he'd been with its larger brother, the beauty and majestic quality of Ayleid architecture astounded him.

"Excuse me," a man said from behind, tapping Aldric's shoulder.

He spun around and found himself face-to-face with an Imperial in an exquisite cream-colored robe. A friendly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, showing wrinkles. Aldric judged him to be twenty years his senior.

"My name is Irlav Jarol," he continued, extending his hand. Aldric shook it, surprised by the man's firm grip. "May I help you with anything?"

"Yes," Aldric replied, deciding to be straight-forward. "I'm assisting the Blades in their investigation regarding the Emperor's death. I need to find Tar-Meena."

"Ah!" Another smile, followed by a wave of the hand. "Follow me, please."

The Redguard trailed about half a foot behind Irlav as the elder mage walked toward the large tower.

"So, can you go into detail about this investigation?" Jarol asked quietly.

Aldric didn't know if he could openly discuss the information, so he opted for something that would satisfy the man's curiosity. "We're close to discovering who the assassins are, but that's all I can say." He cringed inwardly at the half-lie; he did know who they were, but their beliefs were still a mystery. Then again, he had one of their books in his satchel. He decided that he'd read it (or them, if there was more than one, he reasoned) when he had the time to sit down in a quiet place.

"I understand," Irlav replied, with one hand on the tower door's handle. He stopped, then looked over his shoulder at Aldric. "Just...find them. Kill them all. We lost a great Emperor, probably the best one this Empre has ever seen. Those bastards that killed him don't deserve the mercy of the Nine."

Aldric thought he had seen the man's face flush with anger; the possibility of being attacked due to the Blades' inability to save Uriel's life entered his mind. Yet he wasn't a Blade, only a honorary Knight Brother, and that caused him to stop. _Why did you just think that? _a part of his mind inquired.

_Because you're paranoid,_ another part answered. _At some point, you need to take a break from this shit._

"Are you okay?," Jarol asked politely, waving his hand a little bit. Aldric had momentarily forgotten about the mage, and _that_ realization caused him to jerk his head in a startled manner.

"Irlav, I apologize," he said sincerely. "I was lost in thought. I'm only the honorary rank of Knight Brother, and everything here is so new to me. I'm from Hammerfell, but I was framed for murder in Morrowind. I was there with the Emperor when he died, Irlav. He asked me to find his heir, which is not yet known so keep it to yourself!" He grabbed his head as though a massive headache were coming on, but he was just angry with himself, wishing he could've done something. He knew now why Baurus must've felt the way he did.

The mage put a hand on his shoulder to calm the Redguard. "Calm down, young man," Irlav Jarol said soothingly, chastising himself for upsetting the man. _You didn't know,_ the Imperial thought. _He's blaming himself for something that was out of his hands. _"You can't blame yourself for his death. Things happened the way they did because it's the doing of the gods."

Aldric's head shot up to look at the mage. _He's right, Aldric. Uriel had said that the will of the gods brought us together. _The Redguard straightened his posture. _Come on! Be strong!_

"Thank you. I'm sorry for putting you through that," he started saying, his tone downcast. He caught nervous glances from a few students watching out of the corner of his eye. "I'm glad you understand. My name is Aldric, by the way."

"It's quite alright, Aldric," Jarol replied. "These are dark times for us all, and it can wear even the best of us out. I believe your story, by the way." He paused when he saw Aldric's eyes go wide. "You seem like a decent sort--not like the crazies I encounter--so I know you're telling the truth."

Aldric smiled. "Thank you. This is all in the service of the Empire, and I'm willing to do whatever is nessacary."

Irlav nodded. "Good. Now, you need to see Tar-Meena." He opened the door to the large tower. Inside Aldric saw a mage with long white hair milling about. Two benches sat opposite of each other in the center. He saw a circular pad off to his left that resembled the one he had seen in Oblivion. Thinking of that realm gave him chills.

"Tar-Meena!" the Imperial called out. "You have a visitor."

On one of the benches sat an Argonian mage who glanced over its shoulder, then nodded.

"I have to go," Jarol said. "But if you're in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by. If I'm not on the grounds, use the pad to reach me."

"Okay," the Redguard replied. "I'll keep that in mind."

"So long." The mage waved, then turned to chastise the trio of junior mages for being late to class. They subsequently scurried off.

Aldric stepped into the tower, closing the door behind him. Compared to being outside with noise assaulting his ears, walking into the University's central tower was the equivalent of walking into a tomb. The silence unnerved him, but he forced himself to mask his uneasiness as Tar-Meena gestured for him to approach.

"You must be the one Baurus told me about," she said, much to Aldric's frustration. He could never tell the difference from behind. "Aldric, yes?"

A nod. "That would be me." He grunted slightly as he lowered to the bench. "Baurus said you could help us. Explain."

"I'm an expert on Daedric cults," the Argonian stated bluntly. "I've worked with the Blades before, so if I were anything else, there wouldn't be such tight cooperation.

Aldric nodded, reaching into his satchel and withdrawing the Mysterium Xarxes Commentary book. He put it on the bench and slid it over to her. "Baurus said that the Emperor's killers were the Mythic Dawn."

Tar-Meena's red lizard eyes sparked with interest. "You managed to find Volume 1? Excellent. Amazing, actually, because all four volumes are hard to come by. Hold on a second." She stood and walked to a nearby desk, disappearing behind it. Books lightly hit the shelf as Tar-Meena moved them around. A scaley hand, clutching a book, was placed on the table above. The Argonian straightened the books back up before reappearing.

"I have a copy of Volume 2," she said, returning to the bench with book in hand. Aldric took it and stacked it on top of Volume 1. "However, volumes 3 and 4 are extremely rare. I've seen a volume 3--from a distance, mind you--but never a volume 4."

"Damn," Aldric muttered. "So what do you suggest I do?"

"Well..." Tar-Meena scratched her chin, thinking. "You could try First Edition over in the Market District. Phintias, the proprieter, dabbles in rare books so he might have either picked up Volume 3 in his travels or ordered it."

Aldric recalled seeing the book-store during his first visit to the city itself. _It was in the middle, wasn't it? _Aldric pondered._ Across from The Main Ingredient...no! That's not right...ah yes! The Copious Coinpurse!_ "I know the way," Aldric replied.

"Good. Now, when you get all four books, bring them to me and I'll see if I can decipher the Mythic Dawn's location."

"Okay," Aldric replied. As he went to stand, Tar-Meena grabbed his arm. He turned his head.

"Be careful. The Mythic Dawn is composed of highly-capable madmen who won't be afraid to kill you in a public spot."

"I'll keep that in mind." With that, Aldric exited the central tower and made for First Edition.


	16. Gwinas

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Fifteen - Gwinas

Aldric waltzed into First Edition, and after some brief introductions, he got down to business.

"You must be referring to Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes.' A common mistake," Phintias said when Aldric mentioned the Mysterium Xarxes. "The first two volumes are rare, but from time to time, you'll come across them. The third and fourth volumes are impossible to find."

"I'm looking for volumes three and four," the Redguard stated to his bookstore counterpart.

"As a matter of fact, I happen to have a copy of Volume Three on hand, but..." He paused, and Aldric knew this wasn't going to be good. "I'm afraid it is a special order. Already paid for by another customer. Sorry."

Aldric's eyes widened and his jaw tightened. "You can't be serious," he said, not fully convinced.

Phintias shrugged. "Gwinas would be terribly disappointed if it was gone when he came to pick it up," the proprieter stated. Then, for some reason Aldric would never know, the man's next sentence was full of obvious sarcasm: "So sorry I can't help you."

That caused the farmer's irritation to shoot up even more. He stepped closer to the counter, leaning his face inward a bit. "Listen to me," he said quietly with an edge on his voice. "I need these books. I'm working with the Blades, and they wouldn't be too happy if their investigation was stopped. When is Gwinas coming?"

The Redguard seemed to wilt before him, but only a little bit. "Okay, look, I don't know him personally. But he was very eager to get his hands on Volume 3 of Camoran's 'Commentaries.' Hell, he came all the way from Valenwood!

"As a matter of fact, he's already late for his appointment to pick up the book."

"Oh, really?" Aldric asked, more to himself then to Phintias.

"Feel free to wait for him," Phintias said, "if you want to speak to him yourself."

"I will." Aldric spied a low table with two chairs set around it off in a corner of the store. He proceeded to it and sat down, waiting.

It didn't take long before a Wood Elf clad in a bright red robe walked in through the store's front door. There was gold trim around the robe's waist and neck. The Redguard assumed this to be Gwinas. The little Bosmer--_Aren't they all little, though? _he thought, suppressing a smile--approached the counter.

"I'm here for my book," Gwinas announced. "Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries,' Volume Three."

"Ah, of course," Phintias replied, briefly glancing at Aldric before reaching underneath the counter. He pulled out a book similar in appearence to Volumes 1 and 2, setting it on the counter. "Here you go. Keep us in mind for any future needs!"

Gwinas smiled. He walked closer, reaching into a pocket on his robe, and pulled out four ten-piece Septims. The Wood Elf placed them in Phintias' dark hand. "Thank you, thank you! I can't tell you how long I've been looking for this book!" He took it in his hands and placed it under his left arm.

Aldric had been quietly watching from his corner and as soon as the man opened the door to leave, he was up in a flash. He quickly walked towards the door, catching it with his hand. Gwinas was walking towards the door to the Palace district.

"Gwinas!" Aldric yelled, causing the man to whip around and stop in his tracks.

"Yes?" he asked, waiting until the Redguard was closer to him before continuing. "What can I do for you?"

"Can I see that book you have, please?" he asked.

Aldric watched the little man's eyes blaze with recognition. "Have you been following me? Leave me alone! That book is mine!"

He turned to walk away, but Aldric grabbed his robe by the collar and spun him around. "I want to buy it from you."

"Well, it isn't for sale! You'll have to find a copy somewhere else." There was anger in his voice as he struggled to break free, but the farmer had a firm grasp on the collar. He wasn't going anywhere.

"No, I need that copy," Aldric said calmly.

"I won't be bullied! I'm not some pathetic slave you can just push around! I have friends, you know!" Gwinas yelled in an attempt to be intimidating.

"I don't think you understand me, buddy, so let me explain," Aldric said menacingly. This little man was getting to him, which spoke volumes of how fatigued he was, but he wasn't about to rest. "I'm working with the Blades, and we--"

"Bah! The Blades can shove it! This is _my _book! All I want this book for is my research of Daedric--"

"They killed the Emperor, you fucking idiot!"

Gwinas' eyes widened with horror to the size of dinner plates. "What?! The Mythic Dawn were the ones...?" He dropped the book, too shocked to believe it, then picking it up. "You have to believe me! I truly had no idea. I mean, I knew they were a Daedric cult.

"Mankar Camoran's views on Mehrunes Dagon are fascinating, revolutionary even...but to murder the Emperor...Mara preserve us!"

Aldric sighed, shaking his head. What the hell could be so revolutionary about a Daedric god and a madman who want to wipe out all of Tamriel? "You'd better give me that book."

Gwinas nodded rapidly, nearly throwing it at him. "Yes. Of course! I don't want anyone to think I had anything to do with their insane plots!"

Aldric deposited Volume 3 into the satchel on his back, but his grip remained on the man's collar. People had given him worried glances, but the Blades armor he wore stopped them from protesting.

"Thank you. I didn't want to be brutal," the Redguard said sincerely. _Well, almost. Those Wood Elves know how to piss a man off... _"I need Volume 4, as well."

"You can only get Volume 4 directly from a member of the Mythic Dawn." The man handed over a rolled up note. "I had set up a meeting with the Sponsor, as he called himself. Take this note they gave me. It tells you where to go."

Aldric's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He thought it was going to take a bit longer to find the fourth book, but he accepted the note without arguement. "You know, despite the fact that I think you are very foolish for wanting to join, you probably just helped the Blades' case out significantly." He let go off the Bosmer's collar.

"Well, I'm glad I could," Gwinas replied, straightening out the collar of his bright red robe. "I just don't want anything else to do with the Mythic Dawn." He took off running towards the Palace district doors.

The Redguard farmer looked to the sky, then looked at the available shadows. It was about three o'clock. _Wow, two hours have gone by since I left Cloud Ruler Temple. Ain't that something?_

He unrolled the note given him to by Gwinas, sat on a nearby curb, and began reading to himself: "_Your interest in the writings of the Master has been noted. You are taking the first steps towards true enlightenment. Persevere, and you may yet join the exalted ranks of the Chosen._"

"Christ," Aldric whispered. _These are some crazy people. _Nonetheless, he continued reading: "_If you wish to continue further down the Path of Dawn, you will need the fourth volume of the Master's "Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes." It can be obtained only from a member of the Order of the Mythic Dawn. As your designated Sponsor, I will pass on my copy to you if I deem you worthy. Study the first three volumes of the Master's writings.Look for the hidden meaning in his words, as best as you are able. When you are ready, come to the Sunken Sewers under the Elven Gardens in the Imperial City_."

Aldric grinned. _There we go, some information I can act on._

"_Come alone_," the note continued. "_Follow the main tunnel until you reach the room with the table and chair. Sit down. I will meet you there and give you what you desire._"

The note was signed by "The Sponsor," whoever that was. Aldric crumpled the note up and tossed it aside. Coming alone was not an option. If there was going to be one person there, he had no doubt that some bodyguards would be hovering around close by. He thought that it would be wise to inform Baurus of this information.

_Next stop, the Sunken Sewers_, he thought, getting up from the curb. The Elven Gardens district wasn't that far, so he took his time walking there.


	17. Meeting the Sponsor

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Sixteen - Meeting the Sponsor

Aldric had given Baurus the note Gwinas had been given upon his arrival at Luther Broad's. After a few moments he smiled. "This is excellent work, Aldric!" the Blade said excitedly. "We have a lead we can act on."

"If this note is an indicator--judging from Gwinas' urgency to pick up the book, that is--I think the meeting is supposed to go down today."

"I agree. The timing of all of this is too coincidental." Baurus stood, leaving a few pieces of gold on the counter. "I know the way to the Sunken Sewers, so follow me. Luther, if anyone asks where I am, don't tell unless they're a Blade or the Imperial Watch."

Luther raised his own stein of beer in mock salute. "I know the drill, Baurus. Just don't get ya ass handed to ya."

The two laughed and Aldric smiled. "Hey, it'll be okay," the farmer said. "He can take mine as a replacement." They all had a good laugh at that, then Aldric and Baurus departed. The joking put Aldric at ease; he was very nervous.

The Redguard pair walked across the street, passing The Copious Coinpurse, towards an alley. The alley dumped them into a small courtyard, with a small shrine to an unknown saint in the center. Off in the southwest corner was a rusted trapdoor. Baurus took a key from his pocket, inserted it in the lock near the handle, and pulled it up.

"You got first," Baurus said.

Aldric leaned his head forward to look down into the hole. It was dark, but he could barely see faint flickers of torch lights down below. Rusted ladder rungs were bolted into the wall directly below him. He looked back at Baurus.

"You've been in the sewers before," the Blade said, grinning. "Besides, I have to close and lock the door behind me. Wouldn't do to have any unwanted guests stalking us, you know."

Aldric sighed. The only thing he feared was death, and death could be lurking down below. Nonetheless, the Blade had a point so he conceeded defeat. "Alright, I'll go. Just watch my back."

"Of course. Watch your step." The bantering tone disappeared as the pair became serious.

The Redguard farmer crouched with his back to the trapdoor, tentatively putting his foot down the hole until it was firmly on the rung. With one hand on the rim, his hand searched for another rung, then placed his other hand on it upon finding it and slowly climbed down. Sometimes his armor would graze a wall behind him, but then it touched nothing and he found himself at the bottom.

He realized he had been within a vertical, stone cynlinder enclosure that contained the ladder. He heard a distinct _clang_ above him and Baurus appeared not long after.

Aldric noticed that the sewers were better lit than he had first seen. Good. He didn't want to be fighting in the dark and accidentally swing at Baurus.

The Blade put a hand on his armored shoulder. "Are you ready?"

Aldric looked at the man, belatedly seeing that he wasn't wearing his armor. "What about you? You're not--"

"--wearing my armor?" he finished. "I know. There isn't much time; if we don't act now, the meeting might be called off. It's a risk I'm willing to take. Now, are you ready?"

"Yeah," the farmer said, nodding. "Lead the way."

Baurus started toward another room, with Aldric following close behind. His hand hovered above the hilt of his silver longsword, his mind on alert, never quite relaxing.

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"We're here," Baurus said, his own sword clutched in his right hand.

The pair finally arrived in a room similar to the other ones they went through, except this one had two doors, one requiring a nearby staircase.

"The meeting area is right beyond these doors," Baurus said. "Now, I know that there is a spot above the room that can give us an advantage."

"We'll need it," Aldric replied. Slaying waves of rats, mudcrabs, and Goblins had been nothing; but taking the Mythic Dawn head-on was another matter entirely.

_Who is the Sponsor?_ he wondered. _What are your plans?_

"I'll attend the meeting," Baurus said, sheathing his sword.

"No," the farmer replied firmly. "No offense, but not having armor makes you more vulnerable. I'm just looking out for you."

"I appreciate it, and I see your point." He looked up at the stairs then back to the younger Redguard. "Alright, I'll go up. Be careful." Baurus drew his sword and ran up the stairs, disappearing through the door. Aldric sheathed his own sword and pushed through the door directly in front of him.

In the next room, he saw the vantage point the Blade had mentioned. The Blade was hard to see in the shadows, but he gave Aldric a thumbs-up. He nodded back.

He rounded the tall column, a short bridge running above his head, and saw the table and chair. A lone candle burned brightly in one corner of the small table.

_How they got these down here amazes me,_ he thought. Aldric wasn't going to lie to himself; he was nervous.

He circled around the table and took a seat in the chair. Less than a minute later, he heard the sound of a gate opening off to his left. Aldric forced himself to remain calm as a man in a bright red robe trotted in. _Must be the Sponsor._

"You have come seeking true enlightenment," the Sponsor began, stopping in front of the table. The light casted by the candle revealed him to be a Dark Elf a little older than himself. "Your perseverance will be greatly rewarded.

"My name is Raven Camoran, son of the Master. You come seeking the fourth volume of my father's Commentaries. Here it shall be provided."

_Son of a bitch!_ Aldric's mind screamed, suppressing a look of shock. _Baurus must be cursing himself for not having learned this._

He saw a faint glow near the other end of the short bridge that was quickly increasing in size and brightening the room. The so-called Sponsor seemed unfazed but Aldric only had one thought: _Oh shit!_

"We are a proud chosen few," Raven continued, circling behind the Redguard, "posessing esoteric knowledge entrusted only to the Exalted--"

"Who's there?!" one of the bodyguards replied from above, half-way visible. The conjured armor and mace appeared, and the man charged across the bridge followed by the other guard toward Baurus.

_Cover's blown._

Aldric, sensing Raven behind him, blindly reached back for the man. He found the man's collar and pulled him over his head, sending him flying over the table. The Redguard had enough time to draw his sword before Raven's conjured armor and mace sprung to life. Behind him, he saw Baurus leap to his level, with the two assassins behind him.

Aldric heard the clanging of metal hitting metal; Baurus was fighting two-on-one and would need some help. But right now, there was a more immediate problem.

Raven swung his mace in an attempt to club Aldric's head, and not having time to bring his shield, he brought up his sword and moved the mace aside with ease. Raven counterattacked with surprising quickness, but Aldric was ready. He raised the Blade shield.

But when the blow struck, the shield cracked and shattered into four pieces, leaving the leather guige still strapped to his forearm.

"Son of a bitch..." he said in disbelief, distracted by his own sudden misfortune. This caused him to be kicked to the ground, skidding across the floor on his ass. A burst of lightning

lit up the room as it streaked at him. He didn't have time to dodge; he was going to have to take it.

"Fuck!" It felt like thousands of volts of lightning were frying him. He gritted his teeth, clutching his stomach with his right hand and his head with his left. He saw Baurus putting up a good fight, parrying the two bodyguards' attacks and rolling to the side. He groaned, never having felt so much pain in his life.

Raven Camoran approached him slowly, his bound mace looking ready to strike. "I do not fear death," he said with conviction. "For I know that Paradise awaits me." He put his foot on Aldric's cuirass, making him squirm due to the immense pain he felt.

The Redguard coughed, finding it hard to breathe due to having a foot on his chest and the wind knocked out of him. "Why...just...why?" he rasped.

The son of Mankar Camoran smiled. "We believe a change has been needed in Tamriel for so long, but with the Empire in chaos, we have found our moment to strike!" He increased the pressure on Aldric's chest. "The Mythic Dawn will bring Tamriel to its early glory! We, will, _rise_!"

Aldric could feel the pain start to lessen from the Shock spell, prompting him to grab Raven's conjured boot and twist it to the right. The man's leg let out a sickening crack as the bones in his knee shattered; the descent to the ground came next. Raven grabbed his knee, an agonizing scream emitting from his throat. The armor had disappeared, as had the mace.

The Redguard picked up his sword, got to his feet, and walked over to Camoran's prone form. He kicked the broken kneecap, causing another scream, then kicked him in the face.

"Where is your base?" Aldric yelled, hoping he could at least try to get something out of him. "How many members? Tell me!"

Raven coughed up blood, frothing as it dribbled down his cheeks. "You can't...stop...Oblivion," he groaned.

"Rest assured, you will--"

The Mythic Dawns Sponsor raised his right arm and cast a Fire spell on himself, his robed form quickly engulfed in flames.

_Fuck! _his mind bellowed. _The book!_

And then the fire spreading on his body died down. The smell of burnt flesh from the corpse carried its grotesque scent into his nostrils, causing him to gag. Aldric ripped opened the robe, which wasn't too hard, and found the fourth volume of Mankar Camoran's Commentaries miraculously intact. He grabbed it, stuffed it in his sack, and looked up just in time to see Baurus catch a grazing swipe to the stomach.

The Blade stumbled back, his left hand near his gut, yet still managing to defend effectively. _Amazing,_ Aldric thought.

The farmer had his chance: the last Mythic Dawn guard had his back to Aldric. He charged at the guard, holding the hilt with two hands, and swung under hand at the assassin's left leg. He achieved the intended effect: not quite dismemberment, but still caused the guard to collapse. Losing blood didn't help him either.

The guard instantly fell to his right knee, shocked at the sudden attack. Too shocked to even react. This prompted Baurus to twirl his sword above his head and cut diagonally starting at the guard's left shoulder and stopping midway. The Mythic Dawn member was definitely dead: the large fountain of blood was a good indicator.

Once the guard was down, Baurus put a foot on his chest and pulled his longsword out. The slash to his stomach prevented a normally clean removal, however, and he ended up smacking his wound with the end of the hilt. The Blade groaned loud as the surge of pain brought him to the floor. He crawled towards the wall until his back touched it.

"Shit...!" Aldric rushed to the Redguard's side. "Baurus--"

"That bastard grazed me more than I thought," he muttered, angry at himself. "Did you get the book...?"

"Yeah." A nod. "Did you catch that--"

"He was Mankar Camoran's son? Loud and clear." Blood started seeping between his fingers. "You got a potion?"

"I think so." The farmed searched through his satchel, but to his dismay, he didn't have any. "Damn it! I should have stocked up!"

"It's fine." Baurus' eyes darted about the room, then he pointed to the other Mythic Dawn guard. "Rip off the arms on his robe."

The task was done less than fifteen seconds later. "Good. Now, ease me forward a bit and tie both sleeves around my stomach."

Aldric propped Baurus up then leaned him forward. The Blade assisted in wrapping the thick fabric around his waist. "Now, tie tightly to put pressure, but not so tight that it's unbearable."

Over the next few minutes, Aldric received a key from Baurus which would lead him into the basement of Dynari Amnis, a Dunmer resident in the Talos Plaza District. Baurus told Aldric to lock the doors behind him so he could rest and let his wound heal a bit, and that he would meet him at Cloud Ruler Temple once he found the Mythic Dawn's base and retrieved the Amulet of Kings. Aldric wasn't comfortable with leaving his comrade behind, but he had to, and knew Baurus was capable of getting back to Cloud Ruler by himself. With that, they parted ways.

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Roughly thirty minutes later, Aldric emerged from Amnis' house in the Talos Plaza District. By this time, the sun was beginning to set and he knew that his next destination would be the Arcane University. He automatically headed that way, smiling at the fact that he didn't need his map. He was already fast becoming part of Cyrodiilic society.


	18. Help From A Dead Prince

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Seventeen - Help From A Dead Prince

"I've got all four books, Tar-Meena," the Redguard stated as he emerged into the Arcane University's central tower. He had all four volumes in his hands.

"Really now? That's excellent!" Tar-Meena replied, scampering over to Aldric as fast as her feet would allow her. She practically snatched the books from his hands. "Follow me to the desk."

Aldric followed her to the long oak desk where she laid out all four Commentaries in order. "I'll start with the first and second volumes, you work with the third and fourth. Look for anything--symbols, letters, phrases--that may give any indicator of where the Mythic Dawn is located."

He nodded. and the pair begfan reading. At first, Aldric felt that the words of Mankar Camoran were those of an insane madman, but graduakky he saw how people could get caught up: he made sense.

_Well, made sense if you're in to Daedric worshipping_, he corrected himself.

The Redguard noticed how the beginning of each paragraph had a big cursive letter, which was the first letter of the first word. He flipped through the pages of the third and fourth volumes and a message was formed: "TOWER TOUCHES MIDDAY SUN."

_What the hell could that mean?_

"Tar-Meena, I got something," he said.

"Alright," she replied, listening.

"By looking at the first letter of the first word in each paragraph...'TOWER TOUCHES MIDDAY SUN.' So it must be referring to some kind of tower touching the sun around noon."

The Argonian's eyes widened. "I noticed the same kind of pattern in books one and two, but dismissed it as a coincidence. 'GREEN EMPEROR WAY' is what it said."

Aldric's eyes sparked with recognition. "That's it! Green Emperor Way is a reference to the Imperial Palace district, right?" The Argonian nodded. "Well, if I'm looking in the right place as the sun passes on the peak of the tower...somehow the Mythic Dawn's location will be revealed!"

"Good job! That makes sense," Tar-Meena said excitedly. She was grinning broadly. "Now, here's what you'll need to do. Get some rest, preferably close to the Palace. Graves dot the perimeter of the Palace. Look for something in there to appear in an unlikely spot. I hear that strange phenomenon occur and curses are placed upon family members or grave-robbers, respectively, so see if anything unusual may occur." She closed up the four books, and handed them to Aldric.

"Sounds good. I need to get my armor fixed and get a new shield. If I find something tomorrow, I'll come by and tell you. I want you to tell Baurus that that is where I am headed. So for now, good night...and thank you."

"You're welcome," the Argonian replied with a nod as he walked out the door.

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In the intervening time since he had left the Arcane University, Aldric had gotten his armor repaired and the dry blood scrubbed off. He had also bought a new longsword made of a rare refined glass, colored green, which shone brightly when he passed by torches. The sword felt lighter, but he had been assured that it was twice as deadly as the silver longsword he had sold.

He had also purchased an iron dagger, two robes in subdued shades of black and gray, an apple for his horse, and a new shield to replace the one that had broken in the Sunken Sewer.

Aldric checked in at The Tiber Septim Hotel around seven in the evening after his shopping was complete. Upon paying forty septims and finding his room, Aldric locked the door and began removing his newly repaired Blade armor. He looked at his muscular chest at the place where Raven's Shock spell had hit him. A large, ugly scar was the only evidence of the spell's impact.

He crawled under the covers, hoping rest would come easy. Instead, he found himself staring at the ceiling for an hour, and when he finally did fall asleep, it wasn't well. His conscience would be tortured by all those whom he had slain. And when he eventually woke up, Aldric hardly remembered any of it.

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Aldric got up at eleven, taking thirty minutes to put on his armor and five to reach the Imperial Palace district.

He had been circling the graveyard that surrounded the Palace and right as the the sun hit the peak of the White Gold Tower at noon, he happened to pass the Tomb of Prince Camarril (so read the plague) and a map of Cyrodiil lit up in a red outline. A small triangle was placed in the northeastern sector of the province.

_That has to be it,_ Aldric thought. _I haven't seen anything else that could indicate the Mythic Dawn's location but this._

He pulled out his map, only to discover that it had already been marked by itself. _How strange._ But sensing that it was the work of the gods, he didn't question it.

Aldric sprinted for the Arcane University. When he got there, a man named Raminus Polus told him that Tar-Meena was unexpectedly called away but would be back in a few days. He asked Raminus to tell Tar-Meena that he had found the Mythic Dawn's hideout and to inform Baurus' courier.

Granted, the Master-Wizard didn't understand the message's meaning, but sensing the importance and secrecy of the matter, he didn't ask any questions.

THe Redguard thanked the man and made for Chestnut Handy Stable. He thanked the stable-keeper profusely, paying him another small fee. He pulled out the apple he had purchased the previous night, holding it in his palm. He approached the horse, who leaned in to sniff the delicacy, and chomped it all down in one bite.

Aldric led her out of the corral, mounted the saddle, and took off across the long bridge to the mainland. The closest point of reference to the Mythic Dawn's base was the city of Cheydinhal, and that's where he headed to next.


	19. An Enemy Revealed

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Eighteen - An Enemy Revealed

By the time Aldric reached Cheydinhal, night had fallen once again. Tirn's moons were a beautiful sight to behold amidst the blanket of stars. The Redguard had purchased a room at the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn upon arriving, and had removed his armor and put on one of the robes he had bought. He had felt a need to walk the streets and relax, but an itching nag in the back of his mind told him to bring the dagger with him. He also pocketed a map of Cheydinhal.

He strolled through the city slowly, nodding and smiling at the city guards who gave him a friendly, passing greeting. He was thankful for the sense of peace. Aldric had made the decision to join the Fighter's Guild, but he would wait until morning. The dagger rested nervously in a pocket on the left side of the robe.

Aldric neared the east side of the city and stopped upon seeing a house with boarded up windows. The front door was also boarded up and the front gate had fallen off. The little paint the house had was either gone or peeling off. He was also able to see a well half-concealed behind the house.

Curious, he reached in his right pocket and removed the map. Aldric traced his finger from the inn, to the east gate, then to the house that sat before him. Unlike the other buildings, this house didn't even have a name. He looked at the house, then the map, and back to the house with a cocked eyebrow.

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The man was clad in all black, slowly climbing up the ladder. When he reached the top, he carefully lifted up the well cover and peeked his head out just enough to see.

Ten o'clock had been the right time, he concluded. The patrols of the guards didn't include searching behind the houses, so that worked for him nicely. However, he still had to worry about the city's beggars who occasionally wondered behind the houses. There was also the unlikely--but possible--chance of someone either standing in front of or walking by the house.

The black-armored man put one hand on the grate to pull himself up, staying as low within the well as it would allow. He stepped to the side with one hand on the well cover.

In mid-closure of the grate, however, he froze upon seeing a man standing before the base, seemingly studying it.

The man squinted with the hope of being able to see better, and saw the man was a Redguard dressed in a gray robe. _Why does he look so familiar? _he thought.

Then the realization hit him like an Orc swinging a war hammer at him. It startled him so much that he let go of the grate, causing it to slam a little more than he would've liked. In one quick motion, he locked the grate with the twist of his hand and rolled behind the stone well.

He peeked over the rim of the well with one eye and his blood turned cold when the Redguard looked in his direction.

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Aldric swore he had heard the well make a banging noise just then. He also thought he'd seen somebody scurry behind it, but without adequate lighting, he wasn't sure.

_Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me, _he reasoned. _It's also a bit windy out tonight, and it gets windier the closer you get to the mountains._

The Redguard shrugged, continuing to walk as he circled about towards Cheydinhal's west gate. As he walked into the inn and up to his room, he made sure to lock his door tight and bar it with a chair before he turned in for the night.

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_He's…it can't be! _the man thought with a scowl, now sitting by the well. _This is not going to be good. I should've killed him that night! The Tenets be damned!_

He sighed with frustration. _I should've known not to treat those scouts with suspicion._

The man shook his head. Those two Wood Elves couldn't be trusted. They had known his orders, too. The Dark Brotherhood was serious business and fucking around got you killed.

"_Why not kill him?" he asked the Altmer priest._

"_Because then the boy wouldn't suffer in prison," the priest replied. "His father slandered me, and even though your organization had done him in before the boy left for the summer, I wasn't satisfied. I don't want him killed, I want him to **suffer**."_

Five years ago he had murdered that Legionnaire. Five years later, Aldric of Rihad still lived. Quite the opposite of what those freelance scouts had reported. The man figured that he would kill them after this contract for lying, saying he had died when those assassins had killed the Emperor. Maybe find out why the twins had lied before he watched them die. Then again, on second thought, he decided he'd keep them alive.

The man thought back to Laendril, the High Elf priest. He was a corrupt holy man, at that: taking bribes, trafficking skooma and young girls, and using his position of power to have people he didn't like killed, but yet he didn't do it himself. That's why the Brotherhood was called in.

_Focus,_ he told himself. _I'll inform Ocheeva after this contract._

The Dark Brotherhood assassin crept to the next house over, away from the gate, and used the house to climb up to the roof. He stood as far from the city wall as possible (but without being too close towards the Chapel of Arkay), then he sprinted toward the wall and jumped.

The assassin cleared the top of the wall with just enough room to spare. He absorbed the shock of the landing by rolling into a crouch, his dagger Widowshire out and ready. When he felt secure, he sheathed it and started off into the wilderness on foot, a contract in Bruma calling to him.


	20. Dark Memories

-1_Author's Note: Be warned, this chapter contains a flashback to a graphic rape and murder committed by the new character introduced last chapter. So if you didn't read chapter eighteen, read it before continuing on! I wanted to create a despicable, utterly evil character and I think I succeeded. R+R please!_

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Nineteen - Dark Memories

In the morning, Aldric went to the local Fighter's Guild seeking admittance. A mean-looking Orc named Burz gro-Khash laid out the rules and requirements, all of which the Redguard understood and met respectively.

His first assignment at the Desolate Mine, where he would give weapons to three unarmed guild members and then clear the mine of Goblins. _Relatively simple, _Aldric thought.

The Orc marked the mine on his world map, noting that it was close to the Mythic Dawn's hideout. It prompted him to ask a question: "Burz, this other place is close to it. I don't know its name, but do you?"

Gro-Khash studied the map, then pointed to the red triangle. "Those are the Lake Arrius Caverns, named because of the lake at the bottom of a slope where the caverns reside."

"Has anyone ever reported seeing people milling near their?" Aldric inquired, seeking confirmation.

"Hmm," the Orc mused, thinking. "Not that I know of…oh, wait. Scratch that. My apologies, Aldric. A few days ago, one of our scouts reported seeing a group of people wearing red robes and hoods, chanting gibberish. Probably a cult, but nothing to worry about."

_If only you knew,_ the Knight Brother thought. "Alright, thanks. I got something to do up in those caverns. I'll take the weapons and stash them somewhere, then after I'm done, I'll complete the contract."

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine," Burz grumbled. "Just get it done when you can, there's no rush."

The farmer nodded and left the building. Before setting off for the caverns, he made sure to buy a few potions before heading out of Cheydinhal's western gate. After retrieving his horse, he headed off on a northwestern course.

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The man smiled upon passing through the city's eastern gate around the same time Aldric left through the west gate, now wearing regular clothes. An outsider would assume that he was smiling because it was a beautiful day, but it was for quite another reason.

The blood was still on his lips, dried and darkened, even though he hadn't planned it. The blood-stained armor was in the rucksack he had procured from the victim's house.

Soon the thought of his mark lying disemboweled on the floor was replaced by seeing Aldric standing outside of the Sanctuary the previous night. A flood of anger came back.

He approached the well, casually glanced over his shoulder, then popped the latch open with his key. He descended down the ladder, locking the grate behind him.

Falvis Addamastra was a Dark Elf born and raised on Morrowind in the city of Ald'ruhn. Since he was five, he had been interested in learning how to fight. There was once a time when he had actually been noble, wanting to serve House Redoran as a guard, but gradually dismissed this because he felt it would bore him. Fighting slowly turned into thoughts of killing, which led him to joining the Morag Tong. It also led to his parents completely disowning him and ousting him from his home. He found the Tong's headquarters in Vivec and Grandmaster Eno Hlaalu signed him up.

The Dunmer native constantly dreamed of various methods of execution and torture, everything from planning out kills that looked like accidents to poisoning a mark's meal. He did well for himself, carrying out the Tong's orders and growing into a family of brothers and sisters just like himself.

Then one day, it all came crashing down when he randomly killed a member of House Telvanni in Sadrith Mora.

Whenever Falvis eliminated a mark, he always left a call-sign: he placed the mark's hands across their chest after severing both middle fingers. Most of the Tong frowned upon this practice, but he had gone too far with the unauthorized killing.

Eno Hlaalu had personally requested his presence at the headquarters under the Arena canton in Vivec. There, Addamastra was beaten within an inch of his life.

"_You have gone too far, Falvis,_" he remembered Eno saying before slipping into unconsciousness, his calm voice amidst the bloodshed chilling him even now. _"We cannot have some insane n'wah running around killing indiscriminately. We are _NOT_ the Dark Brotherhood!" _With that, ten years with the Morag Tong ended instantly.

Falvis had woken up aboard a ship bound for the Imperial province of Cyrodiil. The Dunmer came to accept the fact that he was a psycho--death and the pleasure it brought when dreamt or committed filled him with euphoria. It was a feeling that felt better than eating the best food and drink, and a feeling that surpassed the ecstasy he got from some of the whores he had fucked. Corpses, blood, rape, murder, and torture filled his dreams. He defined insane and embraced it.

When the boat had arrived in Cyrodiil, he had nothing but the clothes on his back. Falvis remembered roaming the forests of this new land, encountering a Khajiit highwayman with a glass dagger. Upon seeing the vermin remove that glorious weapon from its sheath, the Dark Elf saw a slideshow of murder before him. He had beaten the highwayman to death with his bare hands, lusting for the dagger like a beggar craving food.

After killing the rat-chaser, Falvis broke its neck for the hell of it and tossed the body into Lake Rumare after taking its armor. He had raided the desolate forts scattered around the Imperial Reserve, viciously killing the creatures, marauders, and bandits he encountered.

It was all practice for him, for if he couldn't work with the Morag Tong, the Dark Brotherhood would accept him with open arms.

Falvis grinned broadly at the memory, as he had a bite to eat in the Sanctuary. Thinking of his past led him to his first real kill for the Brotherhood, which made him chuckle. He loved reminiscing about the good old days.

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_The Dark Elf had heard a rumor that the Brotherhood recruited by visiting potential members in their sleep after murdering an innocent. Deciding to test the rumor for credibility, he scoured the Imperial City and set his sights on a ravenous blonde-haired Imperial woman. He followed her for two days, and one thing Falvis had noted was her ability to wrap men around her finger._

_He had learned that she went home for bed around ten at night in the Talos Plaza district. The patrols near her home were light, which played in his favor._

_Falvis snuck in through the front door and found her bedroom door wide open, a soft hum coming down into his ears. The bitch didn't even lock her front door, so Addamastra did it for her. He crept up the stairs and peeked around the corner._

_Besides a bed and a large cupboard, she herself was standing near a long dresser. A gigantic emerald stone was in the center, which she studied intently. Falvis then discovered it was being used as a mirror. She was in the process of disrobing, reaching behind for some strings that held her shirt up. Her blonde hair was so beautiful. Falvis decided to let his roguish looks assist him._

"_Hey there sweetie," the Dark Elf said soothingly, gliding into the room with a confident swagger. The young girl spun around, alarm on her face. "Let me help you with that."_

_The girl relaxed, a mischievous smile playing on her face. "What's your name, stranger?" she cooed in reply._

"_I'm Falvis. I saw you walking the streets today, and I wanted to meet you, but I was too shy." He was now before her; her beauty nearly overwhelmed him. "What is YOUR name?"_

"_Katrina. Listen, if you're looking fun, my services are closed. Come back tomorrow."_

_**This will be fun**, Addamastra thought. "But baby, I must have you now. You're beautiful, you know that? Please, let's get to know each other." He winked for added effect._

"_Hmm…" Katrina pressed her body up against his, a hand snaking toward his groin. "You can touch, but not play."_

_He smiled. "Okay!"_

_Falvis turned her around to untie the strings holding the shirt in place, letting it fall to the floor. She had large breasts, something he liked a lot. He took them in his hands, stroking the nipples gently. She breathed a bit louder, carefully removing her long skirt until she was completely naked. The Dunmer's pants quickly followed, leaving his erection between her butt. She started wiggling and vibrating her cheeks against him, moaning._

"_I think I can make an exception this time," Katrina said seductively. She kissed Falvis on the neck, then she walked over to her bed, strutting in a sexy way that aroused the Dunmer killer. He felt his shirt pocket for the glass dagger._

_**A pity she has to die,** he thought as he walked to the door, closing and locking it behind him. It was time._

_Katrina stood by the bed, an angel in the flesh, but a whore in the mind. He approached her slowly, then backhanded her across the face. She let out a surprised cry as she fell on the bed. The Imperial started to get up and run for the door, but Falvis strong-armed her back down._

_Her eyes widened with terror as she saw the dagger in the Dark Elf's hand. The other hand was pressed firmly on her mouth. She struggled, but it was futile with Addamastra's entire body on her. He placed the knife near her throat, one hand still on her mouth, and leaned in until he was an inch from her face._

"_You're going to do exactly as I say," he rasped angrily. "If you don't, I'll cut your fucking neck and make you watch in front of that gem of yours. Nod if you understand."_

_A rapid series of nods._

"_Good." He smiled, which caused tears to well up in her eyes. "Now get on your hands and knees."_

_She didn't move at first, which enraged him and caused him to slap her. "Now!"_

_This time Katrina obeyed. Falvis put himself inside her, pushing rapidly and getting no response from the woman other than quiet cries. Unsatisfied, he cut into her hips a little with the dagger, just enough to draw blood. She yelled until it was muffled by the psycho's hand._

"_You best fuck me, you whore! Or I'll kill you right now and you'll feel so much pain, you'll forget who you are!"_

_Katrina began to sob uncontrollably yet still thrust herself on his penis. He smiled, laughed maniacally, and grabbed her ponytail. "That's it! Fuck me you bitch! Faster!"_

_The thrusting increased and every time her butt slapped up against his pelvis, he lightly jabbed her at various places on her butt. Pinpricks of blood dripped down her ass and coated his penis._

_He moaned and hit her in the back with the hilt of the dagger. Katrina momentarily collapsed until Falvis stabbed each cheek twice. "Don't stop! Keep going, you worthless, no-good Imperial slob! You will die with my dick in you! You'll be pumping that ass hard all the way to your last breath! Throw your head back!"_

_She didn't, so Addamastra pulled her hair hard until her head (and more specifically her neck) was close enough to where he could reach._

"_Fast as you can!" he screamed. Katrina bounced and thrusted as fast as her injured rear would allow. The blood poured out faster with each movement._

"_Please…please…don't do this," she whimpered._

"_Bitch, I didn't say for you to talk! Now you die!"_

_Falvis Addamastra plunged the dagger into the back of her neck. Blood spurted out wildly as the weapon destroyed her throat and vocal chords. The thrusting began to slow down and the Dunmer stabbed her neck in time with her thrusts until blood covered the bed and his shirt. Addamastra withdrew from her dead body, his penis covered with her blood. To finish the job, he began masturbating until he came all over her back. _

_He collapsed on the ground and laughed. "Thank you, Katrina," he said to a body that no longer lived. "Tell Talos I said hi."_

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Falvis' smile faded as Ocheeva walked in the room. _Shit,_ he thought.

"How did it go, Brother?" the Argonian asked.

"Splendid," he replied. "But we have a problem."

Ocheeva's eyebrows shot up. "Did something--"

"No, nothing went wrong." He stood from the little dinner table and faced his Sister. "Aldric wasn't executed."

Shock plastered across her face. "What?!"

"I know. The report from the Bosmer twins was false."

"How do you know he's alive?" Ocheeva inquired.

"Remember the day that prisoner broke free when the Emperor was killed? It was him. It has to be. I saw him observing the Sanctuary, probably just curious as to why the house was abandoned."

"Do you think he knows?"

"Not a chance. I was unseen when I left. No way he'd know it was me in Gnisis."

"Good. I'll tell Lucien at once."

"Don't," Falvis said firmly. "I want to pursue this matter personally. I think the Bosmers lied…then again, I could be wrong. It doesn't hurt to check though. Once I find out why, I'll make sure that Aldric is dead. You know I don't like an incomplete contract.

"Trust me on this, please. Something isn't right. Don't tell Lachance, okay?"

Ocheeva nodded and walked away. "Just be discreet," she said over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

Falvis wasn't about to let that contract remain incomplete, five years old or not. But first he had information to obtain and people to kill.


	21. The Mysterium Xarxes

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty - The Mysterium Xarxes

Lake Arrius wasn't so much a lake as it was a pond. The door to the caverns overlooked the lake, where Aldric currently stood. The view was pretty, but within the caverns, the Mythic Dawn awaited. He stepped through the door and closed it quietly behind him.

The Redguard checked to see that he had everything: armor, glass longsword, potions in his rucksack, and the dagger concealed within a special sheath he made for his right hip. He pulled it out, placing the tip up against his forearm to conceal it. He was ready.

He proceeded down the corridor, hung a left, and emerged in a decent-sized room. Stalagmites, both large and small, took up the left side. On the right was a little alcove, possibly a door. To the left of _that_, was the cult's doorkeeper.

Aldric waved from the far side. "Hello! I come seeking the Mythic Dawn," he called out, slowly advancing.

"Then my friend, you have found us!" the doorkeeper replied, a big smile on his face. "Welcome. If you seek to become an acolyte of the Mythic Dawn, you will need to give all your belongings to Harrow in the next room." The man stepped toward the potential member.

Aldric himself took another step closer, the knife itching for blood. "Hold on, why do I have to give all my things up?"

The doorman frowned. "I'm afraid that I can't discuss that to new members. Please proceed to the next room and speak to Harrow."

The dark-skinned Knight Brother pointed to the door, hoping the doorkeeper would follow his hand. "This door?" he asked.

The doorman turned his head in frustration at the Redguard's stupidity, which would be his last mistake.

Aldric grabbed the back of the keeper's head, push it downward, and plunged the dagger into the back of his neck, severing the spine. Before the man could scream, the farmer's palm covered the doorkeeper's face and he pushed him to the ground.

He swiftly searched the man's robe and produced a key. He inserted it in the door and he heard a voice, assuming it to be Harrow.

"Welcome, newest acolyte," Harrow said pleasantly, walking right around the corner into Aldric's dagger. The surprise on the Dunmer's face and his futile struggle served to further accelerate his death.

"The key to the shrine, please," Aldric said quietly. "I'm not fucking around. One twist of this knife and you'll die."

Harrow handed him the key, then Aldric pushed him into a nearby wall, leaving him slumping to the floor and clutching his heart.

"Thanks." He put the key in the next door, marked as "Shrine/Antechamber", and stepped through--Harrow bled to death, without ever alerting his comrades.

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At the end of the long road that led to Cheydinhal was an abandoned cabin half-hidden behind a grove of trees. It was perfect for observation, and within spitting distance of the Imperial City.

Nargon and Luwin, scouts by trade who also spied for the Dark Brotherhood, both awoke at the same time, ate together, and trained together. What differed was how they carried out their jobs.

On a normal day, Nargon would circle around north of the Imperial City and Luwin would go south. They'd meet up at the Wawnet Inn near the city isle, and then head west together. People paid them for escorts and information on Cyrodiil's various locales. The Dark Brotherhood would receive information in regards to potential clients and targets.

But this morning wouldn't be a normal day.

While quietly eating their breakfast, the twins were at ease and that ended the moment a dark-armored man plowed through the cabin's door, leaping over the table and putting a knife to Luwin's throat.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Nargon exclaimed, drawing his shortsword.

The man casted a Shock spell, sending the Wood Elf crashing into a shelf on the other side of the cabin.

"Why did you lie!" the man asked. "Why did you lie to the Brotherhood!"

"Falvis?" Luwin asked incredulously, his eyes going wide.

"Who else would it be, you filthy tree-climber?"

"Well, damn it, couldn't you be more polite?" Nargon grunted, struggling to stand.

"No." Addamastra stood and sheathed his dagger. "I needed to get your attention."

"Well, you certainly got it…" Luwin's voice trailed off as he stood. "Look, we knew the moment we had a courier give our report, we knew we fucked up. We had actually seen Aldric ourselves, but that was _after_ we sent our report. So we didn't lie to you, okay."

The Dark Elf simply nodded and gestured to the table. The Bosmer twins sat on one side and Falvis sat across from them. He placed a bag of gold on the table, sliding it forward with his fingertips. "That's 1,000 septims. I need you two to perform a mission for me."

The Bosmer pair looked at each other, then to the gold, and finally to Falvis. "What would you like us to do?" Luwin inquired.

"I need Aldric eliminated," the assassin said. "I'd do it myself, but I have a contract to fulfill. As Laendril requested, he wanted him to die in prison. That didn't happen, so the contract is incomplete. I need you two to kill him."

"Do you know who he is?" The Hero of Kvatch! He won't be easy!" Nargon squealed.

"That is correct, but you Wood Elves know how to plot and scheme, so get creative."

The twins hated the man's prejudiced words, but protesting would be futile. Luwin grabbed the bag and fastened it to his belt. "We'll do it. Where was he last seen?"

"My sources say that he was last seen heading toward Lake Arrius," Falvis said. "Supposedly in search of a Daedric cult." He shrugged.

"We know the area well," Nargon said. "There's some caves up by the lake, if I remember correctly."

Falvis pulled out two blue bottles from his satchel and set them on the table. "These are special Chameleon potions that will make you invisible indefinitely unless attacked. You drink them, and it won't run out. Just don't get attacked. This could create some…interesting possibilities."

All three men smiled, and Luwin spoke: "Yes, yes it does. You have a deal."

"Good," Falvis Addamastra replied, standing. "If you'll excuse me, I have a contract in Anvil." The Dunmer left without another word, leaving the Bosmer twins to plan their attack. They would do it--the Brotherhood assassin would kill them if they didn't.

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After Aldric made sure that all the Mythic Dawn guards were dead, he pocketed the dagger and faced the door to the shrine.

Within was the Mysterium Xarxes…the Amulet of Kings…and Mankar Camaron. Here was where it would end. Everything that had brought him here had begun, in one way or another, in this shrine. Aldric would go back to farming in Morrowind and put all of this behind him.

_But things will never be normal, _he thought sadly. _The things you've seen…the changes you've undergone._

He stopped. This whole journey had been positive, right? Aldric felt it had been. With that, he quietly unlocked the door and entered in a crouch.

A vast chamber was before him. He crept up to a stalagmite, peeking down into the center, and taking note of a slope on each side of the upper level he was on. Each slope led to the lower floor.

In the center was an altar made of stone. On the floor below and in front of the altar stood three Mythic Dawn acolytes. His mind took all of this in, as well as a set of stairs in the northwest corner.

But it was all secondary in regards to the main behind the altar: Mankar Camoran.

His long black hair was slicked back, resembling a lion's mane. His blue robe glowed in the strange light of an Ayleid chandelier…as did the Amulet of Kings around his neck.

"Damn," Aldric whispered. How was that possible? Only a member of the Septim bloodline could wear the amulet!

Next to Mankar was a woman who looked similar to the so-called Master…a daughter perhaps? A few feet behind them was a stone slab with an Argonian lying upon it. _A ritual sacrifice? _he thought.

Mankar kept speaking about "the coming Dawn," how Mehrunes Dagon will walk the earth and bring about the rebirth of Tamriel, and how the ignorant masses--blind to the knowledge of the Mythic Dawn--would be cleansed and reeducated. He also mentioned that all rebellions would be swiftly crushed.

Then a flash of blue light, thin as a twig, materialized into the room between the Argonian and Mankar.

"I must go now to Paradise," he proclaimed. "I will return at the coming of Dawn. For now, I leave you in the care of my daughter Ruma."

The blue light began to rapidly grow, and Aldric was running out of time. There wouldn't be enough time to reach him, but he did spy the Mysterium Xarxes still on the altar.

He pulled his glass long-sword from the sheath and leapt off the edge.

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Luwin patiently sat atop the wooden beams that supported the cavern entrance, while Nargon hid behind a boulder a few feet away. Both had quaffed down the special potions Falvis had provided and took up positions near the cave entrance.

Luwin cradled the bow in his arms, sitting with his legs crossed and tapping his foot anxiously.

"How much longer?" Nargon rasped loud enough to be heard.

"I don't fucking know!" Luwin replied. "Be patient, brother."

"You know I was never the patient sort."

"Well, at least try," the Bosmer archer hissed. "And shut up! The plan won't work if he hears us."

The waiting continued.

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When Aldric jumped, he aimed at the acolyte all the way to the left and put all his weight into the overhead blow that knocked the cultist down.

"Assassin!" Ruma cried.

"Kill him!" Mankar shouted as the portal to his Paradise (whatever that was) began to surround his body.

Aldric rushed for the altar but before he could read it, the portal exploded. He was thrown off his feet, as were Ruma Camoran and the three acolytes. Then it felt like the chamber collapsed on top of him as chunks of rock and granite detached from the ceiling.

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Both twins perked up and Luwin, in his sitting position, almost tipped over the side as the mountain (where the innards of the cavern resided) seemed like it was rumbling.

"What the hell was that?" Nargon yelled.

"Good question," Luwin replied. "We stay in position, though."

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Aldric found it hard to stand due to all of the fallen debris scattered about the chamber. A thick cloud of dust choked the room. He looked to the stone slab, barely able to see it, but could tell that the Argonian was gone. But the Mysterium Xarxes remained on the altar, untouched and unscathed. A reminder of the dark power that had created the book.

He grabbed it without second thoughts and stuffed it in his satchel. _At least I got something out of this, _he thought.

Ruma and the three cultists began to stir, coughing from the amount of dust clogging the room. Aldric saw her look to the altar, then to him, then finally to the ledge he had jumped down from. He in turn looked there too, and saw five Mythic Dawn guards at the top in their armor.

"Get him!" Ruma screamed. "He has the Xarxes! Send out the alert and kill him!"

Aldric recalled the stairs that had to lead somewhere. He was only one Redguard and the odds of taking out nine crazed cultists weren't in his favor.

As the five guards came down the far side of the chamber, the farmer did the only sensible thing he could do: he ran.


	22. Escaping Into An Ambush

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-One - Escaping Into An Ambush

Another part of the ceiling collapsed behind Aldric as he bolted up the stairs, further confirming that he needed to find an alternate route from the caverns.

He heard a swoosh of air behind him--they were close, but a door was just up ahead. Spotting a nearby torch bowl, Aldric smacked it off its pedestal and the ground caught fire. The diversion caused one guard to burn as another stopped to try and put his buddy out. That still left seven, who all jumped over the flames as Aldric rammed his left shoulder through the door.

The Redguard stumbled into a narrow corridor but quickly regained momentum, swinging his glass long-sword at one of the pursuing guards; he ended up losing his arm and falling to the ground screaming. Aldric didn't have much room to maneuver but he kept running. It's all that was on his mind as he hauled ass through the caverns.

He ran smack in the middle of even _more_ Mythic Dawn guards within some sort of mess hall. Two guards were sitting at a candle-lit picnic table, with two other vacant tables to the left of it. Various crates and shelves dotted the room, as did various torches. Kegs for storing beer and other types of alcohol were also in evidence.

He sprinted toward another corridor off to the right past the cultists (getting their attention in the process), but a lone guard came through. The Redguard backed into the room as the guard held out his mace. He was soon surrounded by ten Mythic Dawn guards, his sword out in front of him.

"You will not escape!" a female cultist yelled.

"The Mythic Dawn will cleanse you," another cultist, this one a male, exclaimed.

"Your days are numbered," Ruma Camoran said, stepping forward into the circle. "You will die, Aldric."

The Redguard's eyes widened. "You know my name?"

The Dark Elf woman smiled. "There are many things that I know." She pulled out a short-sword. "Unfortunately, you'll never learn them."

Aldric was able to predict her first move: a blatant charge. He blocked with his shield, and counterattacked with a vicious horizontal body shot. Ruma was quick, however, dodging to the side and emerging with only a knick.

Ruma cast a red cloud from her palm and Aldric dropped to his knee as it felt like his health was being absorbed. He groaned, and managed to dodge out of the way of a sword strike by rolling.

In this movement, he got on her blind side, and stabbed her through the side of her chest. She screamed, clutching her rapidly bleeding wound, struggling to stand. Rotating clockwise, the Redguard swung his sword into her back, severing her spine. As she collapsed, the mountain shook and then chunks of the ceiling fell once again, crushing five of the Mythic Dawnsmen and women.

Aldric barreled through a guard directly in front of him, and sprinted down the corridors.

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"I swear, the fucking mountain's going to fall on us!" Nargon yelled as the rumbling occurred again.

"Shut up! _We're _fine! Whatever that Redguard did must've angered the hornet's nest," Luwin replied, readying his bow. "Get ready. I have a feeling he's--" He stopped talking as the door directly below opened. It started to rain, a fact that made both Bosmer twins frown.

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Aldric bolted through the Lake Arrius Caverns door just in time as more of the mountain collapsed and killed the remainder of the cultists. The debris also blocked the door, barring anyone from entering.

He frowned as the rain started to pour on his Blade armor. It would make the ground wet, muddy, and slippery--plus miserable for him. Aldric also noticed that the horse was gone.

_Damn, _he thought. _Guess I'm walking._

He started to walk carefully down the small slope when he heard a noise that didn't quite fit in with the rain. Almost like…a bow being loaded.

Aldric started to turn and saw the arrow coming at him, but didn't have time to move. It struck him in right in the back of his left calf, causing him to spin like a top and shooting a weak fireball spell at the cavern entrance. He saw it go high, but was surprised when a figure materialized above the shaft when it hit.

_Ambush_, his mind reported. He landed on the ground in such a way as to avoid further injury to his calf. Footsteps approached from the right and he spotted a barely discernible man running at him. Aldric rolled away from the man's sword, which cut the shaft of the arrow off, leaving the head itself still stuck in his leg. It hurt, but he had to do something. The man went to strike again, forcing Aldric to roll back towards the man. Then instinct took over.

The Redguard palmed both of the attacker's kneecaps at an angle, knocking them out of line and causing the man to become visible. He fell. Aldric looked back up the slope and the attacker with the bow was now charging at him with a short-sword, but he slipped and started sliding down the muddy slope. Aldric tried to jump over the little man, but his timing was off and the sliding attacker barreled through him. He was swept off his feet and landed chest-first on top of his attackers. At the same time, without even thinking, his glass long-sword came crashing down into the man with the broken knees' left shin, severing it and causing blood to mix with the mud.

As the pair slid down the hill, the man--a Wood Elf, he realized--punched him in the chin with his free hand, a place his helmet didn't cover. It didn't hurt, but stunned him enough to where he dropped his sword. He pulled out his dagger, and as a reply, he head butted the Bosmer, which was followed by an abrupt stop by a decent-sized boulder half-hidden in the brown sludge.

Aldric slammed first, followed by the attacker, and then Aldric's dagger and the Bosmer's short-sword dropped to the ground. He pushed the Wood Elf down by the throat, snatching up the muddy dagger and putting the tip at his Adam's apple. Thunder rolled through, and the rain increased in heaviness.

"Who are you!" the Knight Brother yelled. "Talk or bleed, you maggot!"

The Wood Elf was scared, capitalized by the rapid breathing and the look of fear on his face. He blinked rapidly to keep the raindrops from hitting his eyes.

"He…he paid us," the little man stammered. "Me and my brother, Nargon. You-you cut off his lef! Don't kill me, please!"

Aldric's anger flared. "That depends on what you say. What's your name?"

"Luwin," he replied with panic. "Look, I can tell you who ordered this. Here, take my payment even!"

Luwin reached for the bag of 1,000 septims and half-shoved it at the large Redguard. "How much?"

"One thousand gold."

Aldric's eyebrows shot up, not at the fact that it was a contract, but that he was now a little richer than before. Suppressing a smile, he turned back to the matter at hand. "Start talking," he ordered.

"He knows you. Knows--well, _knew_--your father. Only as a mark, I think, I don't know."

"Who's 'he?'"

"He's a Dunmer," Luwin said, gulping. "He's an assassin. Dark Brotherhood for sure. Falvis Addamastra is his name. He's a complete psychopath--murders without a single hesitation! Rapes women then kills them! We had no choice but to accept this contract, otherwise he would've killed us. We're only mere scouts, Aldric!"

A growing sense of déjà vu began gnawing at his conscious, and he pressed for more answers.

"How do you know me? No, wait, how does _he_ know me?"

"We were told to monitor your progress in jail, to report of your execution," Luwin answered nervously. "When those assassins attacked the Imperial Prison, everything became messed up. We assumed you were the escaped prisoner we heard about, but we reported that you had died--"

"Get to the point, Luwin!" Aldric screamed, putting a tiny bit more pressure on the dagger at his throat.

"The Legionnaire! He killed the Legionnaire in Gnisis!"

And then what came to mind next answer a question he had long been asking. The tight-lipped mouth after speaking those words caused everything to stop for him. The rain had paused, the thunder was quiet, and everything felt hollow. He now knew the "who," but the "why" still eluded him.

"Why?" Aldric asked. "Why me?!"

"I don't know!" Luwin replied fearfully, sensing the larger man's anger. "He only told us to report your death in prison, but he saw you outside the Sanctuary in Cheydinhal last night. Heard from his sources you were coming out here and paid us to ambush you!

"Falvis is loyal to the Brotherhood and Sithis until the day he dies. Your death in prison didn't occur, so he feels the contract is incomplete. He won't stop until you're dead, Aldric."

The Redguard closed his eyes, soaking up all of this new information. _Looks like somebody wants you dead, Aldric my boy,_ he thought. _But why?_

"You said that Falvis would kill you if you didn't complete the contract?" he asked.

"Yes," Luwin replied, nodding.

"Well, you're going to be my messenger."

The tip of the dagger sliced through the Wood Elf's neck, causing blood to spill out onto Luwin's clothes. He jerked and gurgled, choking on his own ichor. The rain soon washed it away. He put the dagger back in its special sheath. He limped back up the hill and retrieved his glass long-sword, then sat against the mountain wall.

Aldric pulled out the arrowhead stuck in his calf, gritting through the pain. He poured a healing potion on the wound before wrapping it tightly with two long, thick strips of Nargon's clothing. Satisfied, he stood and began walking down the hill. He had a contract for the Fighter's Guild to do. He remembered where he had stashed the weapons that Burz gro-Khash had provided, and headed to the location. He put them in his rucksack and noticed the rain had finally stopped. It would be the only good part of the day.

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Aldric arrived back at the Fighter's Guild two hours after clearing the Goblins from the Desolate Mine. He received double the amount of gold because the three other guild members survived, which was about 400 gold. Burz told him that Azzan, working out of the Anvil Fighter's Guild, had two contracts needing completion.

The Redguard thanked him and left. Anvil was all the way in western Cyrodiil, according to his world map--too far out of the way. He also had to visit Cloud Ruler Temple at some point to hand over the Mysterium Xarxes.

But his mind was elsewhere, slowly forming a plan.

_Falvis, you're a dead man. I will find you. And when I do, I'll question you, then kill you. You took five years of my life away. For that much, we deserve another meeting._


	23. Assault On The Sanctuary

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Two - Assault On the Sanctuary

As the day went on, Aldric grew anxious. He made preparations such as buying a fur cuirass, a short-sword for concealment, and a black robe. He remembered the patrol routes of the guards from the previous night, and memorized the buildings in Cheydinhal with the help of his map.

He didn't have a key for the well nor a lock pick for the front door. He also knew that a Brotherhood Sanctuary had special doors requiring special passwords--something he lacked. Aldric's only option was to lay in wait by the well and hope someone would appear.

Aldric had purchased another night at the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn and stowed his Blade armor and glass sword under the bed. He had bought a new sheath for the short-sword and it fit nicely around his waist. It was the last thing he put on overtop the black hooded robe and fur cuirass. The Redguard decided he would take a nap with everything on, so he would be ready.

It proved uncomfortable, but it didn't matter when he drifted off to sleep.

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Nightfall came slowly for Falvis. His contract had been completed for awhile and he figured he'd kill some time. On the way back to Cheydinhal, he had stopped at a fort full of marauders. He had killed off the males lurking about and cornered off the only female: a Nord who had gladly decided to bounce on his dick for awhile before killing her too.

_Such a glorious day it has been, _Falvis thought.

He soon approached the half-hidden cabin near the road to Cheydinhal and rapped on the ramshackle door.

"Luwin, Nargon!" he yelled. "Open the fucking door!"

Silence.

"I'm not kidding, you two! Open up!"

More silence, which served only to fuel his anger. In one quick motion he withdrew Widowshire, cocked his right leg, and put all of his weight behind his foot as he bashed the door inward.

Falvis rushed in and was briefly bewildered by the emptiness of the estate. He searched the dwelling but found nothing to indicate where the twins went.

_They should've been back by now, _he thought. _I swear, if those two skipped…no. They know I would kill them no matter where they went. _He smiled at his own ruthlessness.

Addamastra assumed that it wouldn't hurt to check out Lake Arrius, so he headed out towards the mountains. The door to the cabin remained open; the assassin had a feeling that he wouldn't be returning.

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Almost instantly, the covers flew off the bed and the dagger appeared in Aldric's hand. He was breathing erratically, having just had a dream within a dream. He thought that Falvis (a non-descript Dunmer in his dream) had been sneaking up on him, but he was wrong.

_At least I'm alert_, he thought absently. He stood from the bed, and put the short-sword in its sheath. The dagger went in the special pocket on his robe. Once satisfied, he picked up a pen like the one had in prison and hastily scribbled a note. He stuck it in an empty pocket, walked out of his room, and locked the door. He proceeded downstairs, waving to the half-asleep innkeeper, and stepped outside.

It was about ten o'clock and the streets were dead save for the City Watch. He tiptoed around to the left side of the inn, past the Mages Guild, then he darted across the open courtyard to a house that was for sale. He lingered at the alleyway that separated the house and Willow Bank and seeing nothing, he casually walked out and to the right. He crossed over two bridges, and the only guard in site was at the far end near the chapel.

Aldric detoured right from the bridge and snuck behind the rows of houses on the east side of Cheydinhal until the well was in sight. He frowned upon realizing that no matter where he hid, any agents of the Night Mother could spot him.

Then the farmer noticed a corner of Oghash gra-Magul's house casting the deepest shadows.

"That could work," he whispered, crouch-walking into the darkness. He withdrew the dagger and switched it back and forth between his hands.

_What will you do if he isn't there? _Doubt questioned.

_Kill who I find, then run like hell, _Bravado (with a pinch of Fear) answered.

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"Oh, Luwin…why did you have to do this?" Falvis asked the dead body.

The corpse looked like a pack of wolves had torn chunks of flesh off his body, though some facial features were still recognizable. Naron was equally torn and tattered. A pity, really.

The Dark Elf stood from his crouching position and looked off at the horizon towards Cheydinhal. Fog had begun to roll in, making visibility hard to come by.

_You're good, Aldric,_ he thought, _but you can't hide forever._

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Around 10:45, the waiting ended. Aldric saw a shadowy figure appear at the top of the city wall. It leaped to the roof of the abandoned house, then to Oghash's roof before jumping to the ground at the well.

The assassin was taking his time, putting the key in casually and popping the latch. All the while Aldric was creeping up. The killer must be new--he wouldn't be taking this long otherwise.

The Redguard tightly clamped his palm over the killer's mouth, pulling off his hood. It wasn't a Dark Elf, but a Breton. Not wanting to leave anyone alive, Aldric broke the Breton's neck then dragged the body into his previous hiding spot. He needed to be long gone when he was through here.

He tested the well's latch--it was unlocked. The farmer had no idea how many opponents he'd be facing, and for the first time since the Mythic Dawn had attacked the Emperor, he was afraid.

_Steady, Aldric,_ he told himself. _You can't serve the Empire with a bulls-eye on your back. Focus. You can do this._

The Emperor's killer, the Khajiit highwayman, the Daedra, Ruma and Raven Camoran--all the people he had slain along the way had, in one way or another, professed their evil intentions to him, be it crazed words or wildly swinging a blade at him. The Dark Brotherhood was the personification of evil. He could do this, alright. His only fear now was death.

_You've come a long way in a short time. Now, confront your past._

His first step toward that confrontation began with climbing down the well into the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary.

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As Falvis continued to stare out into the foggy forest before him, his thoughts drifting randomly, Luwin popped into mind. It wasn't for a good reason either.

"He knew your orders, but not the source," the Dunmer said out loud. "But he knows your name…who you work for…the money!"

Addamastra rushed to the body and saw the bag of gold missing. "He begged Aldric to spare him, told him information, even gave him the gold I paid them. But he killed him out of anger of being ambushed. What would he do with Luwin's information?"

He stopped, realizing what he just said. He screamed, a tortured vicious yell that echoed off the mountain. In a blind rage, he withdrew Widowshire and cut the Bosmer's rotting head off. He held it to his face, screaming a long line of somewhat coherent obscenities, then tossed the head into Lake Arrius. Falvis began sprinting to Cheydinhal as fast as he could.

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Aldric landed inside a small enclosure but then crept into the Sanctuary proper. Four large pillars, wide and short, sat near the center in a square formation. He saw what looked to be a hunched-over skeleton wearing a black cuirass and armed with a shield and mace. Its back was facing him as it looked at a nearly-barren bookshelf and a candle-lit table. Other than that, this part of the Sanctuary was poorly-lit. What looked to be torches placed on the inside of each pillar were currently extinguished.

The farmer concentrated on using the little Magicka he had and cast a fireball at the skeleton guard, blowing its skeletal structure all across the room. He had to shield his face from an incoming pelvis.

Aldric crept up along the left side of the room, not realizing that this room dumped into a corridor. The Argonian assassin hiding around the corner leaped at him and knocked him to the ground. For a female, she was rather strong and was attempting to cut him in two with a short-sword.

"Alert! Intruder in the Sanctuary!" she yelled.

_Oh hell,_ Aldric thought with irritation. _Just what I need._

He punched her in the face with his left hand, snapping her head back, then followed it up with a right elbow to the chin and a back fist. She head-butted him, stunning Aldric and causing him to drop his dagger. He chopped her in the neck with a knife hand and kicked her off into the table next to him. The short-sword clattered next to the bookshelf.

Out of his peripheral vision, behind and to his right, he saw a light blue cloud traveling at him. He rolled to his left away from the table and the cloud hit the floor. Aldric spun low on his heel and saw a male Khajiit in a faded blue robe standing by a set of reinforced double doors, one of which was open. Aldric ran at the Khajiit, dodging the path of the spells casted at him, and scooped up the dagger.

Just as he thought a spell would hit, he sprung off his feet, tucked in for a roll, and stabbed the weapon through the mage's stomach as he stood. Aldric pulled the dagger up until it struck the ribcage, then pulled it out. Blood exploded onto Aldric's dark robe as he pushed the wound Khajiit through the open doorway, landing on a set of stairs.

He heard a growl off to his left--it was the Argonian, charging at him with the short-sword (which was of a strange bronze color now that he could see it in the light). Aldric switched the dagger to his left hand and ducked a horizontal slash. He came around and smashed the dagger into her right cheek, ripping it upward. He withdrew it and watched the assassin waver before crashing down into the wall, bleeding profusely.

The Sanctuary was eerily silent after the acts of carnage. Aldric, fueled with rage and adrenalin, knew that there had to be more than two. He also knew that the Brotherhood wouldn't inform the City Watch, so he had nothing to lose. He threw the dagger to the ground, withdrew his short-sword, and walked into the center of the dimly-lit room.

"Whoever Falvis Addamastra is," he announced, "he'd better step out!"

There was silence for a few seconds, then multiple shuffling footsteps were heard. An Orc and a High Elf stepped from behind the pillars to his left, followed by an Argonian and Imperial who both materialized from thin air to his right, most likely from a Chameleon spell.

Aldric's eyes darted about noting the weapons: a war hammer and bow on the left, a long-sword and axe on the right.

"You come seeking Falvis," the Argonian hissed, "but instead you've found death."

"If you mean that other Argonian and the Khajiit," he replied with a smile, "then, yes, I have found death."

"You won't escape from the Dark Brotherhood," the Imperial said.

"We will grind your bones and devour your flesh," the Orc said, showing its ugly, chipped teeth as it attempted to grin.

Something felt wrong. The air around him seemed to grow cold, as if the very touch of death itself lingered. Aldric thought he heard strange breathing noises behind him. He whipped around and was surprised to see an odd-looking man staring back at him--upside down. His face was pale, with the cheeks shrunken and thin. His eyes--unmistakably a Breton's--were bloodshot and red.

The Breton hissed, scrunching his eyebrows and revealing a set of sharp fangs. _A vampire!_ Aldric's mind screamed. _You're luck is so good today!_

He went to roundhouse kick the vampire's head, but he had disappeared back into the shadows. He heard sounds of hands and feet skittering on the ceiling, and the unlit torches on each pillar ignited. Suddenly, the room was fully lit and the four other Brotherhood agents removed their weapons.

Aldric dove into a roll between the Argonian and Imperial toward the shield dropped by the skeleton, picked it up, and chucked it like a discus at the High Elf archer. It hit lower than intended (in the stomach), but it still sent her flying towards the Sanctuary door.

He rolled towards the Argonian, swinging low with his short-sword, but the attack was parried. The Argonian slashed, Aldric countered, and smacked the hilt into the lizard's face, causing him to stumble. The Imperial chopped with her axe, forcing the Redguard to sidestep against the wall. She swung again, and he ducked as the axe clanged off the stone wall. Still crouching, he dropped his short-sword, grabbed her wrist, twisted, and flipped her on her back. The axe dropped to the floor.

Aldric heard the sound of a bow being pulled behind him, prompting him to pick up the axe and hurl it. It sailed past the incoming Orc and right as the bow released its arrow, the crude weapon buried in the High Elf's skull, causing blood to erupt and her body to fall.

One down, four to go. He dodged the arrow just in time.

The Orc was yelling at him, running with his war hammer high above his head, and in that moment something happened. Aldric could feel each individual blood cell coursing through his veins. He could feel each neuron transmit to his brain. Most of all, the adrenalin rush he suddenly acquired gave him a thirst for blood. He felt like a man possessed by a ravenous beast.

The Redguard farmer charged at the Orc, wearing steel armor and all, and knocked him to the ground. So surprised was the Orc that he dropped his war hammer. Aldric pounded furiously with his fists, bloodying his knuckles and the Orc's face. Then he picked up the war hammer, which was probably the heaviest weapon he had wielded yet, and crushed the green bastard's head like a melon. Nothing was left of the head.

He stood, an angry expression on his face, and turned to face the Argonian and Imperial now coming at him. He had to get to his sword. He dodged the pair's attacks, ducking and weaving around and between them. Aldric scooped up the short-sword and as the Imperial attacked with the skeleton's mace, he blocked horizontally and the mace briefly caught itself on the blade.

It was all he needed to toss the mace into the air, back-kick the Argonian, and catch the mace in his left hand. He impaled the Imperial with the sword and mutilated half of the Argonian's face with blunt weapon.

Everyone but the Breton vampire was dead. Bright splashes of red decorated the room, a murder's masterpiece come to life. Then the torches on the pillars went out just as Aldric caught a glance of the ladder that led up through the well. The entire place was pitch-black.

He heard the strange breathing behind him, and in a full-fledged state of panic and fear of vampires, he sprinted toward the spot where he remembered the well to be. He clasped his hands on the ladder as he blindly smacked into the rungs, catching a brief glance over his shoulder. His eyes widened in the dark as he saw a pair of bright red eyes coming right towards him.

Aldric didn't think anymore: he scampered up the ladder like a monkey climbing a tree, and made it out just as the vampire's hand reached through the open grate. The Redguard slammed the door, hitting the gnarled hand, and he ran for the inn.

He had never been so scared in his life. Death had almost gotten him, and that vampire had almost managed to grab him. Aldric shuddered.

When he reached the inn, he disposed of his robe and fur cuirass outside, and waltzed in in his underwear. He went to his room and put on his Blade armor in no time, grabbing the rucksack from under the bed as well as putting on his glass long-sword and its sheath. He soon exited the city.

The stable keeper outside the west gate was still awake, so Aldric paid for a new horse. He mounted her saddle, clicked his heels, and sped off toward Cloud Ruler Temple.

_I missed you tonight, _the farmer thought. _But next time we meet, you won't be so lucky._

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It was 11:45 at night when Falvis entered the Sanctuary. He was shocked at the carnage, shocked at how easily his Brothers and Sisters had been killed.

At the center of it all was Lucien Lachance, the man who had brought him into the fold. He gestured for Addamastra to come to him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end at the sight of the man, the only one he truly feared. He instantly regretted not taking Ocheeva up on her offer to tell Lucien of spotting Aldric.

"You know, Falvis," Lucien began. "Your mark actually did a good thing for us."

The Dunmer was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"The Black Hand has suspected that a traitor is amongst us," Lachance explained. "As such, I had orders for you to carry out the Purification of the Sanctuary, as well as to spare Vicente because of his 100 years of service and loyalty to us which therefore left him exempt. Obviously, with Aldric's unexpected entrance, this has been taken care of. I can't seem to find our…creature of the night, though."

"Hello, Falvis," the Breton vampire said, walking out from behind a pillar nearby, surprising both. He nodded to Lucien. "Lucien."

"Ah, Vicente. So good to see you."

"Spare me the shit!" Falvis exclaimed. "Is there anything left here by that Redguard?"

Vicente handed over a partially blood-stained piece of paper. "I found it on the ground as he ran out of here in a panic. Must've dropped it."

Falvis grabbed the paper and read it aloud: "'To Falvis Addamastra: You are the one who brought me here to Cyrodiil. You took five years of my life from me. The next time we meet, I'm taking yours. Signed, _Aldric of Rihad, Hammerfell_.'"


	24. Spies In Bruma

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Three - Spies In Bruma

According to the shadows cast by the sun, it was about eight in the morning when Aldric reached Cloud Ruler Temple. He stabled his horse just inside the gates of the ancient fortress.

When he reached the top of the stairs, Captain Steffan greeted him. "Aldric! Where have you been?"

"I was at the Mythic Dawn's base," the farmer replied. "Where's Martin?"

"Ah, yes. He told me to tell you to meet him in the Great Hall whenever you came back. Just head on in, I think he's there now."

The Knight Brother nodded and bounded up the stairs into the temple, pushing through the ancient doors. Upon entry he spotted Martin Septim in the center of the room reading a book.

"Ah! You've returned!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

"Baurus!" Aldric replied with a grin. "I'm glad you made it out!"

"Me too. It was a pain in the ass to get here, but the wound is healed. And, I remembered this." He patted his Blade armor's breastplate.

"Won't be making that mistake again, huh?"

Baurus, standing at a pillar behind the Septim, smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Your Grace, forgive me," Aldric said to Martin.

"Quite alright." The young priest closed his book and looked up at the Redguard. "Tell me what you have."

Aldric approached the desk Martin was sitting behind, slinging his rucksack off his shoulder. "I found the Mythic Dawn's base of operations, as well as Mankar Camoran himself. Somehow he has managed to wear the Amulet of Kings. He managed to escape to something he called 'Paradise', but I did manage to grab this before all hell broke loose."

He pulled out the large tan book with the strange black rune and placed it on the desk. Aldric watched Martin recoil in surprise. "This book is evil!" the Emperor-to-be shouted. "Why did you bring it here?"

"Well, I had to bring _something_!" he yelled, surprisingly enough. "I couldn't just damn well waltz into the place and kindly ask for the Amulet. So I took what I could!"

"This book was created by Mehrunes Dagon himself," the Septim heir countered. "It is the epitome of evil and is regarded as a dangerous artifact. If one binds themselves to the Xarxes, they too become evil."

"Yeah, well…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the young man's face. Martin looked exhausted; the bags under his eyes were the giveaway. A subtle shake of Baurus' head followed by his mouthing of "no" told Aldric to back off. "Sorry, Martin. I've been under a lot of stress. Plus some things from my past have come up…"

"I understand," the Emperor-to-be replied. "I myself still cannot face some of my past. But I've learned that until you bury all your ghosts, the past will consume you and slowly destroy you. Sever those ties as quickly as possible."

Aldric nodded soberly and placed his hands on the desk. "What's the plan?"

Martin Septim stared intently at the wooden surface of the desk, tapping his fingers slowly on the Mysterium Xarxes' cover. Then he looked up at the young farmer and said, "This Paradise you mentioned…I might be able to bind myself to the book somehow and figure out if there's anything relating to it.

"However, it will take me some time to decipher the Xarxes. Not to mention that binding myself to it is dangerous. But it might be all we have to go on."

"How long can you estimate?" Aldric asked.

"I don't know, but I'd say a few days perhaps. The Mythic Dawn may be planning their next move as we speak." He snapped his fingers and then continued: "Ah! That reminds me. Jauffre told me to tell you to speak with him about something going on in Bruma."

"Did he say specifically what was going on?"

"I'm afraid not. He said to talk to him at your convenience. But if you don't mind, I need to focus on the Xarxes."

"Of course," Aldric said, nodding. He grabbed a bottle of Cyrodiilic brandy and approached the large fireplace at the back of the room. A lone high-backed chair sat before the glowing flames and he took a seat.

Un-popping the cork and taking a swig of the brandy served to distract him from the stress. The liquor's honey taste was sweet and sticky on his lips. The alcohol burned slightly as it glided down his esophagus. The fire crackled and popped before him; in his mind he could see his past being shaped by the flames.

Falvis. One man with a name had brought him here physically. But his destiny was constantly shifting, a testament to the divinity of the Nine. Thinking of the Nine made him realize that he hadn't prayed for the past few days, which startled him into doing so.

_May Talos guide me,_ he concluded with another swig of brandy. One piece of information from Luwin seeped into his mind. It confused him because of his inability to grasp that said piece.

_He said Falvis knew my father._ Aldric closed his eyes, trying to focus on that day in Rihad as his father lay dying before him. He took another sip of his drink.

The healers present had claimed to be doing their best, but his father had still succumbed to the disease. He tried to remember the faces, but each was cloudy and unwilling to reveal themselves.

_Practically everything can be treated except for the vampire and werewolf diseases,_ Aldric thought. He began to doubt what he had been told. Then again, being only sixteen at the time meant he had been naïve but not as much as some other youths he knew. Alone and without friends, he traveled to Morrowind to stay for the summer. That stay became five years of living on his own, scraping to get by, but through it all, he had found peace.

Five years of Morrowind. Five years of jail. Ten years potentially wasted. And for what?

The sound of a chair scraping the floor next to him intruded on his thoughts. Aldric looked to his right and saw Baurus sitting down in a chair. For a moment, the Emperor's bodyguard said nothing as he stared into the large fire.

"This Empire has been through so much," he finally said. "Through it all, under Uriel, we've held together…but damn it, it shouldn't be like this!" Baurus clenched his hand into a fist.

"You and me both," the farmer replied, taking yet another drink of the brandy. He held it toward Baurus. "Want the rest?"

The wordless snatch and single gulp of the honey-tinged liquor was the reply. Baurus wiped his lips and faced Aldric in his chair. "What's going on, friend?"

The younger Redguard described at length, more or less, his life-story to the Blade, culminating with his attack on the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Cheydinhal.

The last part made Baurus' eyebrows go up. "My friend, you have bravery and courage the likes of which I've never seen in someone before."

"I was mad," Aldric said, looking at the floor with a hand to his temple, "but thanks, I guess."

"The Dark Brotherhood are a nasty bunch…" The Blade trailed off briefly before resuming. "Lost a good friend because of them. At the time, he was stationed in Hammerfell. Rihad, actually." A pause for a brief smile which soon faded. "He was an honorable man, even if some of the things he did weren't always smart. Laendril, that fucking bastard…"

For some reason, that name caused a light bulb to flicker in Aldric's head. "Say that name again," he asserted.

"Laendril," Baurus replied, a scowl on his face. "He's a High Elf priest who worked in Rihad's chapel, which was the only one in Hammerfell because of Rihad's proximity to Cyrodiil. Anyways.

"I never liked that prick. He has a hatred for the Legion, especially the Blades. My friend, Augustus Tenabonius, was a Blade, murdered by the Brotherhood. Laendril publicly slandered my friend and demonized his service to the Empire. From that day forth, I wanted to honor the death of a great man. So I joined the Blades."

Aldric nodded, a smirk on his face appearing soon after. "It's funny…my father Futrel hated that High Elf, too. He had heard rumors that Laendril trafficked in skooma, but he could never prove it.

"One day at the chapel, the two got into a bitter shouting match in public, which soon became a vicious brawl that spilled into the streets. Rather unusual for a man to act like that. Soon after that incident, my father passed away." Aldric shook his head in despair.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Aldric," Baurus said with conviction. "Truly. But one piece of advice: watch your back. The Dark Brotherhood has numerous agents. Sleep with one eye open and always strike true."

Baurus stood and walked by Aldric, patting him on the shoulder. "By the way, don't forget to see Jauffre."

The farmer stood five minutes later. He figured the Grandmaster could wait a bit longer, so he went to the West Wing, removed his armor and rucksack, and settled in for a nap. It was only eight in the morning and he had been going for the past day and a half.

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Two hours later, Aldric woke to a fresh set of Blade armor which he was thankful for. After suiting up, he tried to find Jauffre but was told he wasn't around. The farmer decided to walk around.

While outside strolling the battlements, Aldric saw the distinct architecture of an Ayleid ruin not far from the Temple. One of the Blades told him it was the ancient Ayleid city of Rielle. Curious, the Redguard plundered the ruin alone after marking the location on his map.

He re-emerged three hours later wearing a brand new set of Dwemer armor, a kind he had seen often while visiting Morrowind.

Following his dungeon-delving, he enjoyed a hearty lunch and trained with Baurus which ate up another three hours total. By the afternoon, he was exhausted.

Around 4:30, as he sat on the Temple's steps dousing his head with water, Jauffre returned and approached him.

"Looks like you came back in one piece," Jauffre offered.

"So long as my limbs remain intact," the farmer replied, "I'm happy. What's up?"

"Walk with me." Jauffre walked up the stairs, Aldric in tow, and approached the lookout points at the front of the fortress.

The Grandmaster Blade pointed down the hill to a cluster of tall stones (Rune Stones, he had learned). "See those stones? For the past few nights, some guards have seen people on the road near those stones. Apparently, Cloud Ruler Temple isn't as secretive as we thought."

"So it seems," Aldric mused, not really surprised. "What's Bruma doing about it?"

"Their hands are tied due to the possibility of an Oblivion gate appearing," Jauffre said, lowering his head slightly. "Check with Captain Burd of the Bruma City Watch, see if he could assist you. Or do some surveillance of your own, if you wish."

"So any idea what we're up against?"

"Two, possibly three, people. Could be spies, smugglers, what have you. They're too close to the fort and need to be dealt with quickly. According to the guards, they come into position anywhere between eight and nine o'clock, so wait around if you want."

Aldric shook his head. "My gut's telling me that we're dealing with Mythic Dawn spies, so we should act fast. I think I'm going to have a chat with this Burd character."

"Sounds good," Jauffre said. "When you get back, I'll either be on the battlements, in the Great Hall, or the East Wing."

"Okay," Aldric replied as Jauffre walked off. He dried his hair off with an old shirt before putting the strange Dwemer helmet he had found on.

He check up on his horse, gave her a carrot he found in the East Wing, and proceeded down the hill toward Bruma on foot.

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Thirty minutes after entering town, a Nord named Ongar the World-Weary gave Aldric what he needed. He had reported seeing someone inside the house of a woman named Jearl that he didn't recognize. Other passer-bys had similar accounts, so Aldric went to Captain Burd to give his report.

He knew it wasn't much to go on, but the Redguard had a job to do. Burd gave authorization to search her house.

Jearl's house was behind the Great Chapel of Talos and was currently locked. Burd had sent a runner to the guards on patrol to inform them of what's going on and to look the other way if they saw Aldric. It wouldn't do well to arrest the Redguard simply for following orders.

He banged on her door three times, got no response, then banged again. Then when nothing was heard, he drew his glass long-sword and kicked in the door.

Nothing.

Aldric closed the door and started moving things around, reading every piece of literature he could find, and feeling the walls for hidden switches. He almost gave up when he noticed the table in the center of the house. It looked a little higher off the ground then it should have. He stared at it, following the carpet and noticed a square outline beneath it.

_A trapdoor? _he wondered. _Why didn't you think of that sooner?_

Aldric snuffed out the candle on the table to avoid setting the house on fire, then flipped it over with both hands, sending silverware and various plates and bowls to the floor, shattering. He pulled the rug back and there it was.

The Redguard didn't waste any time--trying the latch didn't work, so he stomped on the trapdoor until it collapsed under his weight. He jumped down the hole and landed in a crouch. The Dwemer armor sounded hollow as he hit the ground, as well as the sound of the long-sword leaving its sheath.

He looked around this hidden area. The walls and floor were made of stone, lit by torches, but the back of this "cellar" soon turned cave-like. An alcove to the right contained a cupboard, desk, bed, and storage trunk at the foot of it.

No sign of Jearl or her suspected cohorts.

But Aldric steeled himself. There had to be _something._ No one would randomly conceal a trapdoor in their house unless there was something to hide.

The farmer approached the cupboard and found some mundane clothes. Then he tried the trunk and what he found within wasn't so mundane.

The scarlet fabric of a hooded robe stared at him like the eyes of that vampire in the Sanctuary. Volume 2 of the Mythic Dawn Commentaries sat next to it. _Let's have a look at that desk._

When he pulled the drawer open, a single piece of paper sat in the center. Without a second thought, he pulled it out and began reading.

What he read disturbed him. The Mythic Dawn already knew that Martin was at Cloud Ruler Temple and were looking into his escape routes so there wasn't a repeat of Kvatch. The letter mentioned Jearl and her accomplice Saveri Faram by name, as well as his own.

But the worst part that stuck out: the cult was planning to open a Great Gate outside of Bruma and completely escalate the crisis.


	25. A Rat Problem

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Four - A Rat Problem

_When Aldric returned to Cloud Ruler Temple, and after meeting with Captain Burd, Martin ordered the Blades to step up patrols and sentry duty in response to the threat mentioned in the letter. Burd had also sent a team of guards to Jearl's house to arrest her and her accomplice for treason._

_The Redguard told Martin and Jauffre that he needed some time away for a bit and that he had some contracts for the Fighter's Guild in Anvil. The two reluctantly agreed and he set out for the Gold Coast._

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The company hall for the Anvil branch of the Fighter's Guild was much larger than the Cheydinhal branch. More members were gathered here, too.

Aldric stood before the desk of the boss of the Anvil branch, listening closely to Azzan. A Redguard clad in steel armor, he looked to be in his thirties and seemed to have a habit of scratching his shaved head.

"Now remember, don't kill the rats," Azzan explained. "Arvena will give you payment for the contract once it's complete. Then report back here."

Aldric nodded, then walked out of Azzan's office, through the mess hall to another set of stairs, and down into the living quarters. Upon stepping outside, the sun greeted him like an old friend. He smiled, remembering how only moments ago, the beauty of the western coast's striking him with its beauty. Anvil was beautiful and the distant sounds of the harbor reminded him of Rihad's port. It would be a great day.

His contract was to investigate why a Dunmer woman's rats were being killed. At first, it struck Aldric as odd: why would anyone want to keep _rats_? Azzan said that the rats were her pets. Aldric, in turn, voiced how silly that was.

"Silly or not, you're getting paid," Azzan had said, a point on which Aldric conceded.

According to his Anvil map, Arvena Thelas lived up the street in the northwest part of town, on the right-hand side of the street. He intended to walk slowly so he could enjoy the sun's warmth and admire the city.

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Normally Falvis wouldn't be on edge, but today he was, and he had been ever since the attack on the Sanctuary. Nevertheless, he had to stay professional. Luwin may have told Aldric his ethnicity, but not any specific physical features. He would have preferred for nothing to have been said, but it was too late for that.

Lucien had made the Dark Elf his personal assassin--a Silencer. He was currently walking the streets of Anvil to get a feel of the land. In all of his time in Cyrodiil, he had never visted the Gold Coast's most beautiful city.

He had purchased a room at The Flowing Bowl on the docks for one night. As he was walking toward the courtyard near the main gate, his face froze up.

Aldric was walking on the opposite side of the street, heading in the other direction. Falvis felt both fear and anger rise up and tried not to show it.

_What kind of creature are you?_ Addamastra thought.

He watched Aldric move his hand near the hilt of what looked like a glass long-sword. Falvis couldn't help but flinch as the Redguard looked straight ahead.

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He tracked the Mer on the other side of the street with his peripheral vision. Ever since he learned of Falvis, he was suspicious of every Dark Elf male he saw. He relaxed slightly as the green-skinned man passed him, but glanced over his shoulder just to be sure. Satisfied, he let his hand move away from his hilt and approached the home of Arvena Thelas and knocked three times.

"Miss Thelas," Aldric said loudly. "Fighter's Guild!"

The door opened immediately and an elderly Dunmer woman with slicked-back strawberry-blonde hair and a wrinkled face greeted him. "Oh, praise the Nine! You have to do something about my poor little babies!"

"What's going on, ma'am?"

"A mountain lion got into my basement," she cried, seemingly on the verge of tears. "I don't know how, but please do something!" She was shaking his arm repeatedly in fear of her "cute" pets.

_A lion? _he thought. _How unusual._

"Don't worry, ma'am," Aldric replied. "Stay here."

He drew his glass long-sword and opened the door to the basement. He proceeded down a small flight of stairs and hung a left. Sure enough, amongst a gaggle of rats stood a mountain lion about to take a chunk out of one of the furry critters. The farmer didn't want to hear the hysterical Dunmer woman, so he chucked his sword like a spear…

…and missed as the sword slid underneath the lion's body, clanging loudly. The lion turned toward the newcomer, growling and showing its sharp teeth. Then it charged at him.

_Well, this isn't good,_ Aldric thought as the mountain lion leapt and knocked him to the ground. He had his armored left forearm on the lion's face, but it still had sharp claws which flailing wildly. The lion began to bite into his arm, slowly crushing the strange Dwemer gauntlet.

He then remembered the dagger and struggled to reach for it. When it finally got into his right hand, he slammed it into the side of the lion's face. A long stream of blood squirted out and the animal let out a shrill roar. Aldric pushed the lion off of him, formed his hand into a fist, and hammered the dagger further into its side. It stopped moving.

He got up and removed the dagger, then went to pick up his fallen long-sword. That's when he noticed a large gaping hole in the stone wall that led to the outside, with a few wooden boards crudely placed over it. At least until the lion came in--now the boards were broken.

_She should really do something about that,_ Aldric thought.

The Redguard sheathed his long-sword and backtracked up the stairs to the first floor. Thelas was standing there, anxiously tapping her foot. "Well? Did you save my babies?"

"Yes, Miss Thelas," Aldric replied with a hint of impatience. "Your rats are safe."

"Oh, bless you!" As awkward as it was, the hug she embraced him with made him relax. "Thank you! Though I think it would be wise to kill off the remaining lions near Anvil. Where there is one, there are more."

"So who should I speak to?" Aldric inquired.

"Pinarus Inventius is a local hunter who may know the source of where the lions are coming from. Do you have a map?" The farmer nodded and pulled out his town map from his rucksack.

"His house is here," she continued, pointing to a spot that was caddy-corner to her own house. "But he could be out hunting, so hope you're lucky."

"Okay, what does he look like? I might be able to catch him on the street."

"Imperial, long hair in a ponytail, iron armor."

Aldric nodded and left Thelas' house and followed the map to this man's house.

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Later that night, while Aldric was elsewhere, Falvis was dragging the body of a priest through the desert Undercroft in the Chapel of Dibella. His mission was nearly complete.

He had followed his mark over the course of the day and, as usual, chose to strike at night. Addamastra was wearing his black shrouded armor, a Chameleon potion (similar to the ones he had provided for the deceased Bosmer twins) was in effect, and he wore a black shrouded helmet that casted a Night-Eye spell on him. He could effectively see in the dark.

The assassin didn't worry about waking any spirits as he lifted the lid of a coffin. He had Widowshire and invisibility on his side, as well as time. Falvis figured the time to be eight o'clock, so he had plenty of time to indulge himself with his sick pleasures.

As the Brotherhood agent lifted the priest's body up onto the coffin's rim, he heard a very faint _flap_ originate directly at his feet. Falvis looked down and saw an unopened envelope resting at his boots. He hastily shoved the body into the coffin, which caused some blood to leak out of the priest's slit neck, and closed the coffin's lid.

Addamastra picked up the letter, noting the trail of blood that led from the Undercroft's entrance to the coffin. He smiled, then turned his attention to the letter.

As he tore the envelope neatly, for reasons he didn't understand, anxiety reared its ugly head. The contents within, however, grabbed his attention.

The priests of Rihad, Hammerfell were going to visit each of Cyrodiil's nine cities to provide medical and spiritual aid for the citizens of the Imperial Province. The letter stated that the Oblivion crisis, and the losses being suffered, were "demoralizing and we hope we can at least ease some of the suffering."

Falvis thought of all the Oblivion gates he had seen in the wild--from a distance, of course. He wanted to live as much as anyone else, to continue killing, but he feared the coming of a Daedric demon-god. Nevertheless, the Dark Brotherhood operated as though the world was business as usual.

The date the letter had been written indicated it was two weeks old. The coming of the Hammerfell priests said that they were going to arrive in Anvil…tomorrow morning. His eyebrows went up as he scanned the names of the priests that were traveling.

"Well, well, well…" Falvis mused. "I think we have a meeting tomorrow morning, Laendril."

He tucked the letter into his pocket and started his way back toward the entrance.

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The next morning, after a successful contract whereas Arvena's neighbor had been trying to get rid of the rats, he reported back to Azzan on his success and caught some shut-eye in the guild branch member's bedroom, which had been kindly offered to him.

The sounds of a cheering crowd were what woke him, however, and he rubbed at his eyes as the sunlight filtered in through the window.

Half-naked, Aldric got up and approached the window. Outside, Anvil's citizens gathered as streams of paper and cheers were heard and seen. Curious to the activity, he quickly got dressed and put on his sheath and headed downstairs.

When he got outside, he saw three caravans being pulled by horse coming through Anvil's main gate. A puzzled expression came over his face. _What's going on? _

He tapped a man on the shoulder, who turned to face him. A band started to play loud music somewhere nearby. "What's going on here?" he yelled over the chaotic noise.

"Rihad's priests have come to bring aid for the people!" the man replied, and continued cheering.

Aldric's eyebrows raised as he scanned the uncovered wagons coming in. One man in particular stood out--a High Elf, balding on the top, wearing a brown silk robe, was in the middle caravan with a frown on his face. Something was familiar about him. And for some unknown reason, his gut wasn't feeling too good.

His eye was drawn to a man on the other side of the street, wearing a blue robe with the hood up. Aldric cursed at the fact that the hood covered half of the man's face. His attention seemed to be drawn toward the High Elf also, but the man's head soon turned toward his direction ever so slightly.

He could see the man's face clearly now--it was a Dark Elf. The man's eyes seemed to widen slightly, and his mouth moved. It looked like he was saying his name. The mysterious man looked like he was in a panic, and was reaching for something on his belt.

The man pushed through waves of people until he was in the street holding a dagger. He looked to be going for the High Elf priest.

Then it hit him. The priest…it was Laendril! _But that means…_

"FALVIS!"

In that moment, time seemed to slow. Aldric could feel his heart beating, and it seemed everyone else's too. The man turned at the mention of his name, committing one of the gravest mistakes he could ever do.


	26. The Chase

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Five - The Chase

Falvis ran down the opposite street toward Castle Anvil, knocking people into Aldric's path in hope of slowing the Redguard down.

The Brotherhood assassin started climbing a pillar that held up a nearby pavilion as the Imperial archers let loose with a volley of arrows. All but one missed as it struck Addamastra in the left leg. Aldric watched as Falvis ripped the arrow out of his leg. The hood fell off of his head and his right arm briefly stretched out to cast a spell.

As the Flame Tempest spell hit the center of the guards' formation, a large explosion occurred. The guards were lifted off their feet and flew through the air in various directions, as did their bows and quivers. The caravans stopped their ride and people looked in the direction of the flames. Aldric snatched up a bow and a couple of arrows as the people of Anvil stood shocked at the chaos. He scaled the pillar and stood on the roof of the pavilion just as the killer leaped to the roof of a nearby house.

Aldric kept sprinting, following the trail of blood toward the city's wall. The Redguard leaped off the house, landed on the top of the wall, and oriented himself to keep from falling.

He saw Falvis on the ground, moving slower than before, and the blood trail resumed on a large boulder beneath him. It was a long drop regardless.

_Go!_

The farmer jumped, feeling his stomach lurch into his throat, and landed hard on his feet. He shook his legs to get rid of the momentary discomfort and sprinted after the assassin.

Aldric loaded one of the arrows he was carrying into the bow, trying to pull it back while running. This proved difficult and it took the Redguard three times before getting it right.

"I'll get you, Falvis!" he screamed as he shot the arrow. It traveled on a slowly decreasing arch and impacted in the killer's lower back.

Falvis ran for less than a foot before flying forward onto his stomach as the farmer caught up. Before he could even speak, the Dark Elf did a back-kick. Aldric side-stepped and went to draw his long-sword, but it got stuck as he went to remove it. This provided Addamastra the chance he needed to do a sweep kick, causing Aldric to stumble but not fall. The Dark Brotherhood assassin ripped the arrow from his lower back, yelled as a surge of pain coursed through him, and brought the bloody arrow above his head.

Aldric batted the incoming arm aside, but even with the Dwemer armor, the strength that Falvis possessed allowed him to penetrate the farmer's cuirass and hit the left shoulder. He screamed and blocked a slash at his face from the Dunmer's dagger--a strange weapon of Elven design which glowed with red energy,

_It's enchanted,_ the Redguard thought. _Might want to avoid that._

He pulled the arrow out but the head remained embedded in his shoulder. Aldric blasted a Fire spell at close-range, causing the Mer to recoil and drop his dagger. Falvis rolled around in the grass for a few seconds to stop the flames; the robe he had wore was now destroyed and the sun light reflected off his shrouded armor, fully revealing the Dark Elf for what he was.

Aldric spun on his heel and stood. Falvis limped about on his wounded leg.

"So we meet again," Falvis rasped. "You've grown so much."

"Time will do that," Aldric replied. He found himself in a grove of bushes and trees, but the lack of room to maneuver wasn't a comfort. Seeking to remedy this, he began to circle around the Mer, who in turn followed him. "Why?"

"Why?" The Dark Elf laughed. "It's the Brotherhood, kid. We don't question the Night Mother."

"Why did you attempt to attack Laendril?"

"Oh, so you know of that…dichotomy, eh? He hired me to kill your father for slandering him. Then, not being satisfied, he wanted me to frame you so you would suffer and then die in prison.

"But when I saw you a few nights ago in Cheydinhal, I knew the contract was incomplete."

"So you're taking your anger and personal vendetta on all involved with the contract," Aldric said with mock admiration.

"Precisely. Remember that day in Rihad when your father was dying?"

The faces of the healers remained blurry--all but one. And Falvis had been there to administer whatever poison he had brought. And upon further reflection, the Dark Elf (disguised as a healer) had given Futrel an apple and then died shortly after ingesting it. The apple had been poisoned. True, he had fallen ill, but it wasn't the disease that had killed him. It was the poison.

The look of shock must've been evident on his face because Addamastra chuckled. "So you do remember. You know, I'm going out of my way here. I think Laendril wasn't entirely honest on the two occasions we met. Thus when I came to Anvil on another contract, and learned of the arrival of Rihad's priests, what better chance."

"The time for chances is over," Aldric said angrily. "You want to kill me so bad, let's do it in hand-to-hand combat. No weapons or spells, let's do this with honor. If you know what honor is."

Falvis charged and swung at Aldric with his fist, which was blocked with by the Redguard's forearm. Another punch, followed by an uppercut, were parried but the roundhouse kick wasn't and it sent the farmer stumbling. After a quick recovery, the farmer replied in kind with a low back-spin kick, sweeping low and knocking Addamastra on his back.

The Mer howled in pain, but as Aldric moved closer, the Dunmer lashed out with both feet and kicked the Redguard in the stomach. He did with such force that his Dwemer cuirass cracked and then broke, revealing his cloth shirt underneath. Aldric cursed his poor luck, and ended up tripping and rolling backwards downhill, with Falvis landing on top of him soon after.

The Knight Brother went for his dagger, but to his dismay, he found it in the hands of the assassin.

"I will cut your fucking heart out!" Falvis Addamastra roared, trying to push the dagger into his chest.

"You're a sick bastard, and you will not have that luxury!" Aldric retorted as he struggled at keeping the man's wrists high above him. He pushed the hilt of his dagger into his face, but it didn't knock him off.

"It's a pity that you won't be able to question the Altmer yourself." And that right there was where Aldric made a mistake. When Falvis said that, his grip on the killer's wrists slackened ever so slightly as he briefly reflected. He _did _want to question him. Why would Falvis say such a thing when Aldric knew he would kill him?

Falvis' move following that statement was so quick that the Redguard only had time to slap the arm aside a tiny bit, but it didn't do any good. He felt a fiery explosion throughout his entire chest, followed by the highest amount of pain he had ever received in his life. He leaned his head up and saw the dagger inside his unprotected chest near his right lung.

_So this is it, _Aldric thought as he coughed up blood. Small streams of red dripped down his sides and a dark pool of red was formed around the entrance wound. _This is the end. All because of my fucking stupidity--_

Then what happened next was strange, unexpected, and miraculous. As Falvis stood and brushed himself off, an arrow seemed to come out of nowhere and penetrate his skull through the back, exiting through Falvis' right eye. The assassin was so surprised that he didn't even scream--he simply collapsed on the spot, blood pouring from all of his wounds.

"Nice shot," an Imperial voice said, though it sounded very distant. "Search the--oh shit, that's Aldric!"

"Whaat," Aldric slurred. His vision seemed to narrow and the urge to sleep was great. _Who is that? Who knows me…why am I--_

"He's in shock! We need to get him moving!" the voice of a Dark Elf replied. It sounded similar to other men of his ethnicity, but somehow it was different…and familiar.

The last thing he saw before blacking out was an aged Imperial in Blade armor--though he wasn't sure--with snow-white hair that covered his entire head except for the top, as well as a Dunmer clad in gold and black armor.


	27. Blood of the Daedra

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Six - Blood of a Daedra

Time is relative to the observer--there are only twenty-four hours in each day. But now Aldric had no idea as to the time or place. The imagery kept shifting from place to place. Memories of his journey, his past, and even his uncertain future played before him.

One thing was certain: he wasn't dead and he wasn't alive.

_So where am I?_ he wondered.

Off in the distance, as the scenery changed to the wasteland of Oblivion, he saw a man drawing closer. He soon discovered it to be a Redguard, but the facial features were still hidden in shadows too deep to be penetrated. Aldric thought it was himself, but the crying was that of someone else. Someone he knew.

It turned out to be his father Futrel.

"Son," Futrel said, tears streaming from his eyes. "I love you. I always have. I'm sorry that I've failed you." He broke down and started sobbing loudly.

"Father!" Aldric cried out, himself on the verge of tears. "Father, you haven't failed me at all!"

"Aldric…I need a hug. Please give your old man a hug." Futrel stretched his arms out for an embrace.

Yet when the younger Redguard tried to move, he couldn't--his feet were pinned to the ground somehow. Suddenly, his father began to transform. He started crying blood and his eyes began to lose their hazel color that his mother had loved--at the same time, he started coughing up blood and his throat was ripped out by an unseen force. What had been hopeful and serene was now turning into a nightmare.

Futrel started walking towards his son as flesh started falling from his body, causing Aldric to scream in terror as blood splashed on his face and clothes.

"Father! Please don't! I love you, I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!"

But the elder man gave no reply and as Futrel went to hug his son, everything became white and all he heard was the sound of his own screaming.

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Aldric became aware of others in his vision as he thrashed about violently, frantically shouting for help and how sorry he was.

"Aldric, it's okay!" the familiar voice of Baurus exclaimed. Several hands were pressing him firmly on his shoulders to steady him. "It's only a dream!"

He forced himself to calm down and take slow breaths. He focused on each face in the room: Baurus, Captain Steffan, and Jauffre were here. But there were two others that he didn't recognize--at first, he thought they were bodyguards, but his memory proved otherwise. Aldric recalled the arrow sending Falvis into Oblivion, then the pair saying something about shock and moving before he blacked out. He also noticed that he was in the West Wing.

"Update," he said weakly, grunting as he leaned forward. Being stabbed in the chest and shoulder hadn't been fun at all.

"You've been out for three days," the balding Imperial said. He pointed to the Dark Elf with his thumb. "Uvani and I had heard of your noble deeds, and he recognized your name. So we came here at my request, learned of your location, and well, you're here now as you can see."

The Redguard cocked an eyebrow. "Elaborate, please." There was something familiar about the Dunmer that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

The man named Uvani stepped forward to speak. "Out of everyone who I spoke to when the menace of Red Mountain was gone, you listened when no other would. You offered me a safe haven when others turned me away." He smiled warmly. "How can such kind gestures go unnoticed?"

For the first time since this journey had begun, Aldric was speechless. He had never expected to see Uvani Lloros again, but it seems that the Nine worked in strange ways. "It is an honor to see you again, Nerevar Reborn."

The Dark Elf shifted nervously, seemingly uncomfortable with the title. Even after saving Vvardenfell, the idea that he was the reincarnation of a famous war hero was still a lot of weight to carry. Aldric could sympathize: at times, while out on his mission that Uriel Septim VII had entrusted to him so long ago, it felt as though the whole weight of Nirn was on his shoulders.

He sensed an awkward silence approaching, so he aimed a question at the Imperial. All the while, the three Blades he had grown accustomed to stood silent. "And you, old fellow. Who are you?"

The man chuckled and threw his hands up in the air in mock irritation. "Hey now, I may be old, but I still have my wits! Even with my skooma addiction."

Now that Aldric looked at the man again, he _did_ notice a far-off look in his glazed eyes; but they were always scanning, always looking, and never blinking it seemed. Aldric finally noticed the faint smell of skooma coming off of the man, and couldn't help but grin. "Caius Cosades, Spymaster Extraordinaire. Uvani told me many stories about you." He extended his hand and the Blade shook it firmly. Despite his old appearance, he had strength from many years as a soldier and a Blade.

"I hope that he didn't stretch the truth _too_ much?" Caius asked, glancing over at a smiling Nerevarine.

"Eh, there may have been _some_ tall tales," the Dunmer replied, and everyone had a good laugh at that.

Soon, though, Jauffre calmed things down. "Now that Aldric is with us, I suggest we talk to Martin to discuss our plan of action. Do you think you're up to it?"

Aldric nodded without hesitation. Despite his wounds, he felt more ready than he had ever been in his short lifetime. "It'll probably take a bit, but I'll be back into the swing of things in no time."

Jauffre nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Let's go see how Martin is doing, then."

As everyone filed out of the West Wing, Caius tapped Aldric on the shoulder. In the Spymaster's hand was a piece of paper partially stained with Falvis Addamastra's blood. "I did a little research," the Imperial murmured, "and found out about what happened with you, and I am very sorry. I recognize that Laendril is corrupt--his hatred of the Blades has always made him a questionable man, but we couldn't prove him of any wrongdoing. However, with confirmation by my sources and hearing you talk in your sleep, that has changed."

Aldric read the letter, which was addressed to a man named Mantius Vernicius. _Must be that priest Falvis killed,_ he thought. The letter detailed an expedition by Rihad's priests to provide aid for Cyrodiil's cities. It listed estimated times of arrival for each city, as well as a list of the priests attending. He noticed Chorrol was circled.

"So they'll be arriving either late tonight or early in the morning?" Aldric asked, looking up at Caius.

The skooma-addicted spy nodded. "Yes, so this letter seems to indicate." He reached into his pocket and produced the Elven dagger that Falvis had wielded. "Take this. You may feel uneasy seeing as though it has been used for evil--but I believe in revenge, Aldric. You do, too. I see it in your eyes."

The Redguard had to admit the grizzled Spymaster was right. He closed his eyes, nodded once, and took the dagger gingerly with his left hand.

As he put it in his special sheath, grunting as his shoulder caused momentary pain, Cosades urged the young man into the main hall.

Everyone was seated around Martin's desk except for Caius and Aldric, who quickly took their seats. If not for the deadly-serious mood that everyone was in, one would've chuckled at the sight of Aldric sitting at the table in his underwear before the Emperor.

"As we're all aware," Martin began, "the Mythic Dawn plans to open a Great Gate outside of Bruma. We don't know when or specifically where, but we have to be ready. None of us wants another Kvatch. _That_ was bad enough. We don't need a repeat.

"However, as Aldric has told us, we do know the name of our enemy: Mankar Camoran, who escaped into his Paradise with the Amulet of Kings. All is not lost, for there is a way to create a portal to this Paradise by using the Mysterium Xarxes."

The Septim heir paused for effect then said, "There are four items required for the ritual, but I've only deciphered what the first item is. The Xarxes says that the blood of a Daedra is needed. A Daedra heart will not suffice, however."

"So maybe it means a Daedric artifact from one of the gods," Aldric suggested.

"That would make sense," Uvani added. "Caius and I have seen shrines scattered about Morrowind, so there has to be some here in Cyrodiil.

"It wouldn't hurt to check," Captain Steffan added. "Your Grace, what do you suggest?"

Martin seemed to be in deep thought for several seconds, looking at the desk and tapping his fingers. Then he finally looked up and used his head to point to Aldric and Uvani. "I'm entrusting you two with the recovery of one of these artifacts. It doesn't matter which one, just get one.

"Jauffre and Steffan, ride to the Imperial City and see what Chancell Ocato recall as many Blades as you can to guard the fortress. I want to be ready in case the Mythic Dawn plan a personal attack on the Temple. Baurus, see what Burd can do to prepare for a possible Oblivion gate appearing outside the city. Let's get a move on."

Everyone nodded and stood from the table to carry out their tasks. As the Redguard and the Dark Elf approached the West Wing, Aldric turned his head to Uvani. "Thank you again for saving my life," he said quietly.

"It's not a problem," the Nerevarine replied, humbled. "It's a shame you had to be stabbed, though."

"Twice at that." Aldric paused upon seeing a set of ebony armor laying on the floor of the West Wing. An ebony long-sword hung on the weapon rack close by.

"Caius won't need it anymore," the Dark Elf stated. "I assure you that it's better than the Dwemer armor you were wearing."

For Aldric, it was like a big gigantic toy and he couldn't wait to play with it. He quickly suited up, cringing as he put the cuirass on over his chest and left shoulder. He picked up the long-sword and was thankful he could still use his right arm. If he had been stabbed in his right arm, he wouldn't be going on this mission. Aldric performed a few moves with the sword to get a feel for the weapon, and was satisfied.

"It's beautiful," he proclaimed, "Heavy as expected, but I'm sure I'll get used to it quick."

"It's saved my life numerous times. You sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah," Aldric replied with confidence. "Do you know where one of the shrines may be?"

Uvani nodded. "I think the shrine of Azura is east of the Temple in the mountains." When the Dunmer received a concerned look from Aldric, he merely chuckled. "Don't worry, it's not that far."

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As the pair climbed over a hill and braced themselves on a rock, Aldric silently cursed the Nerevarine for his earlier assessment. Two hours of mountain climbing while recovering from painful wounds didn't help his mood. Learning of what Azura required (after giving a portion of glow dust) only made it worse.

"This is bullshit," the farmer cursed, exhausted to no end.

"Relax," Lloros said soothingly. "The mine isn't too much farther."

_You've climbed the mountains of Vvardenfell. You're used to this. I'm not, _Aldric thought angrily.

The Goddess of Dawn and Dusk wanted five of her followers killed so that they may rest peacefully. Of course, they had killed their mark (an ancient and powerful vampire) but had also become infected themselves. Five vampires and two capable warriors--either way, it wouldn't be pretty.

Up ahead, a door made of wooden planks was nestled into a large rock. Assuming this to be the Gutted Mine, he marked it on his map like he had with the Shrine of Azura.

"If you get bit, I'll give you a potion of cure disease," Lloros stated. "So we should be fine."

"Alright…" Aldric replied hesitantly.

"Something wrong, sera?"

The Redguard related his fear of vampires, which had been fortified by his attack on the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary and how its vampire had almost killed him.

After Aldric finished, Uvani gave a nod and said he understood, but it still didn't make him feel better.

Upon entry to the mine, the Nerevarine gave Aldric a ring to put on. This part of the mine was pitch black and hard to see one's hand in front of their face, but the Redguard managed to slip it on his left ring finger with a twist and magicka washed over him. Much to his surprise, he was able to see in the darkness and he couldn't see himself when he looked downward. He looked straight ahead, and noted faint traces of magicka moving about, glowing purple.

"That ring," Uvani whispered, who was also invisible but still viewable via the purple glow, "casts a triple-prong enchantment of Night-Eye, Detect Life, and 35 Chameleon. Also, take off your boots and leave them here at the entrance. We need every tactical and stealthy advantage we can get."

After removing his ebony boots, the two crept down a passage, darting past the sections that were lit by torches. One of the vampires was close by, slowly roaming up and down the hall.

The pair flattened against opposite sides as the creature of the night passed between them. Aldric was surprised that she didn't smell their scent or hear them breathe. His heart felt like it wanted to burst, it was beating so fast. Instinctively, he breathed in slowly through his nose and exhaled as quietly as he dared.

Yet even so, the vampire heard him and leapt at him, biting down on his left forearm. Had Uvani been slow in impaling her through the back of the head with a silver shortsword, he'd probably be dead.

_One down, four to go,_ he thought as he drank a cure disease potion, just to be safe.

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Thirty minutes later, with boots firmly on his feet, Aldric and Uvani emerged from the Gutted Mine with their nerves shot. They had been bitten three times between them, each time cured with a potion.

At the shrine, Aldric noticed five orange candles burning on a rock that overlooked the giant statue. Azura thanked the two men for their services, and then after a puff of bright light nearby, a strange item appeared on a pedestal close by. It was black and shaped like an archaic carving of the sun, with eight extensions coming out. Black dots and inscriptions covered the entire thing.

"What is it?" Aldric wondered aloud, turning it over in his hands.

"Azura's Star," Uvani replied with an equal amount of awe. "It's a reusable Soul Gem. No use to us, though."

The Redguard stuffed it in his rucksack, and motioned toward Cloud Ruler Temple's general direction with his head.

Halfway to the fortress, Uvani voiced a disturbing concern that had eluded him: "What if the Mythic Dawn has already begun to open gates?"

Aldric frowned. "Then our timetable will get bumped up."

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As the pair approached Bruma from the east, the sky began to turn red and thunder crackled off in the distance. Uvani's worst fears were confirmed: the ominous oval shape of an Oblivion gate loomed outside the city.

"Shit, looks like it's already started," the Nerevarine muttered.

"We better get back to the Temple now," Aldric said, picking up his pace. "Captain Burd's going to need our help."

"Agreed." The two broke into an all-out sprint for the Temple, the utter exhaustion their bodies felt being set aside. The Empire came first.


	28. Blood of the Divine

-1_Sorry for the delay, guys and gals. I've been busy with school and making music and it took me awhile to get all of this written. But here's Chapter 27._

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Blood of the Divines

The situation had grown dire after Aldric and the Nerevarine had left Cloud Ruler Temple. Upon arrival, Jauffre filled them in on what was going on. His information was soon outdated when the Main Hall's doors burst open.

Captain Steffan and Baurus had been right on the heels of Uvani, practically shouting to get their message out.

"Jauffre!" Baurus yelled. "Ocato told us that an Oblivion gate has spawned outside of each city's walls. Because of this, we couldn't recall any Blades to the Temple due to a potential loss in the cities' defense."

"At some point, that will have to be addressed," Steffan interjected. "Uvani, Caius wants you down at the Bruma Gate to assist him. Captain Burd and his men need to know how to close a gate."

Uvani Lloros turned to Aldric. "We'll meet again, rest assured. Happy hunting, Aldric." With that, the Dark Elf ran back out of Cloud Ruler Temple to the city down the hill.

Aldric thought of all that had happened since his "release." Things just kept getting crazier and crazier, and he had a feeling it wouldn't be over until the end.

"Aldric,I have something to discuss with you," Jauffre called, interrupting the Redguard's thoughts. The Grandmaster gestured for Aldric to approach, and continued when Aldric was at his side. "Martin has deciphered another component for the portal ritual. I gather you have a Daedric artifact?"

He nodded, wrestling with his rucksack until he produced Azura's Star. He handed it to the aged Breton, who sat it on the desk in front of Martin.

"Now, we need the blood of a Divine," Grandmaster Jauffre stated.

"I assume you're referring to Tiber Septim?" Aldric asked.

The Blade nodded. "Correct. There's an old fortress to the north of Chorrol named Sancre Tor, where the breastplate of Tiber's armor is kept. Legend has it that he received the blessing of Akatosh deep within the fort. It became the site for many aspiring Blades to make a pilgrimage."

When Jauffre paused, Aldric sensed the uneasiness in his voice, and he knew what would follow wasn't going to be something he liked. The farmer nodded for Jauffre to continue.

"In recent years, however, Sancre Tor has been afflicted with a curse. The Underking slew the four best blades of Tiber Septim's time, and cursed them to guard the fort even in death. Many who went there have never returned. The way to the cuirass is blocked by the Underking's magic." Jauffre frowned, shaking his head.

"What's wrong?" Aldric inquired.

"Take this key." The old man handed him a key, which Aldric put in a pouch on his side. "I fear I may be sending you to your death."

"Jauffre, I almost died three days ago, I think I'll be okay."

"I trust you. Come back alive, and don't forget to use an enchanted weapon. There's bound to be plenty of undead inside."

The farmer nodded, and turned toward the doors of the Main Hall. As he placed his palm on the handle, Jauffre called out again.

"What's up?"

The old Breton jogged across the room to him and leaned in to whisper: "We'll look the other way in regards to Laendril. As far as we're concerned, it never happened."

Aldric couldn't help but smile. "Thank you."

With that blessing, the trip ahead wouldn't be so bad. If he was lucky, he would be done his task by nightfall, and hopefully be right on time when the High Elf priest arrived in Chorrol.

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The journey to Sancre Tor had been uneventful, save for the occasional bandit and locations to mark on his map. The skeletons he had encountered outside gave Aldric hints of the evil that permeated this place, so he proceeded more cautiously.

Upon entering with Jauffre's key, the ancient halls of Sancre Tor smelled musty and old. Aldric activated the ring Uvani had given him and withdrew Falvis' enchanted Elven dagger. Curiously, the runic inscription on the hilt said it was named Widowshire. It was enchanted to drain one's strength and willpower--now he was thankful that he hadn't been stabbed with it.

The ring had proven useful so far, allowing Aldric to sneak up on the various ghosts scattered about, dispatching them with quietly. Up ahead in one hall was a door that must've led deeper into Sancre Tor. He spotted a skeleton slumping around by the door, but something about it gave the Redguard pause.

It wasn't until he crept closer that he saw the unmistakable shape of a Blade helmet, followed by the shield and Akaviri long-sword.

Here stood a warrior who, if alive, would beat even the best Blade of Aldric's time. Now he faced the task of besting it in combat. Figuring he needed an edge, he put Widowshire in its sheath and withdrew the ebony long-sword as quietly as possible. On flat feet, he crouch-walked down the hall toward the undead Blade.

The cursed warrior must have sensed his approach because the skeleton whipped around in a circle and slashed wildly with its sword. Aldric quickly blocked with his ebony shield and followed it with an overhead chop. Yet that too was blocked and the Blade head butt his chest with enough force to throw him off balance.

The Blade thrust and Aldric pulled his body back, which caused him to fall to the floor. He blocked with his shield and finally managed to sever the Blade's sword-wielding arm. The battle briefly stopped as the undead warrior looked down at its arm, then back to Aldric.

Then it surprised the farmer by repeatedly bashing its shield into him, but before long, Aldric blasted the skeleton to bits with a fire spell. Satisfied that he had emerged unscathed, he stood and brushed himself off. For being dead, the skeleton had had an uncanny ability to see his invisible form.

"Thank you for your noble deed."

The sudden disembodied voice made his skin crawl, but Aldric had the sense to reply back. "Who are you?" he asked.

He jumped when the ghostly form of a Blade warrior appeared in his peripheral vision.

"I am Rielus," the ghost replied. "Loyal soldier to Tiber Septim. I thank you for freeing my spirit. The Underking's curse must be dispelled. I go now to the Tomb of the Reman Emperors. Free the spirits of my comrades, so we may at last rest peacefully." The ghost of Rielus turned toward the door and walked. Aldric felt it wise to follow so he opened the door to the Entry Hall (or so the runic inscriptions read) and followed the spirit.

The Entry Hall was built in a circle, with a lowered platform in the center that was surrounded by water. He saw two other doors on the level he was on, and another that connected to the lower platform.

When he entered that lower door, Aldric knew the Reman Emperors were buried here. In the center of the room, the floor sank down and connected to a long dirt tunnel. Pillars on each side of this section provided support, and sarcophagi lined the west and east walls. Rielus kneeled facing the tunnel with his head bowed and sword drawn, with the tip touching the ground.

And there, at the end of the tunnel, was a cyan force-field pulsing rapidly.

From the looks of it, entry to the room where the armor of Tiber Septim resided was blocked and any who attempted to pass through was…killed. The large number of skeletons near the force-field seemed to indicate that his assumption was correct.

Clenching his fist, Aldric vowed to banish the Underking's curse. He exited the Tomb and began to clean house.

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Aldric burst through the doors to the Tomb, gulping a health potion like an alcohol does a shot of ale. Instantly, the pain faded away and the bleeding stopped.

After three and a half hours, the spirits of Casnar, Valdemar, and Alain were kneeling with Rielus. They began to chant an ancient hymn, slowly spinning their Akaviri katanas. Magicka swirled about the room, and Aldric saw the ancient battles that had taken place in this room. The spectacle was jaw-dropping to say the least.

_So much history is here_, the farmer thought as he approached the force-field, completely awe-struck.

As soon as he reached it, the Underking's curse was dispelled and he could clearly see an old dusty cuirass resting on a pedestal, glowing as if Talos himself were shining on it. Aldric quickly jogged into the shrine. The blood-spattered armor plate still looked good as new.

But as he put a hand on the armor, something strange occurred.

A rush of memories comes to Aldric, but it wasn't him. He could see a crowd of people before him, with a red diamond necklace being put around his neck. Then he saw himself standing before a large statue--the Numidium, he quickly realized.

Aldric was reliving key moments in Emperor Tiber Septim's life.

Then the memories stopped as the Redguard placed the cuirass in his rucksack. He noticed the Blade ghosts were gone; he could only smile at what he had done.

When he emerged from Sancre Tor, it was indeed nighttime. And far below, the lights of Chorrol burned brightly through the trees; just like the anger inside of Aldric's gut.

_My past demons shall be slain tonight,_ he thought soberly.


	29. Secrets of a Priest

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Secrets of a Priest

As Aldric reached Chorrol around midnight, he kept fighting with himself on whether to go through with the deed. The risks involved were great, but the peace of mind if he got what he wanted would balance the potential dangers.

_Focus, Aldric. Don't back down. Confront your past. After this, it'll all be a downhill stretch._

He entered through the south gate, making a beeline for The Grey Mare, an inn situated near Castle Chorrol. After buying a room, he stowed his ebony armor and sword and changed into a brown hooded robe before heading back outside. The only weapon he would need was Widowshire.

The farmer approached one of the city guards in a relaxed, unthreatening manner.

"What can I do for you, citizen?" the Imperial guard asked cheerfully.

"Uh, yes, has the Rihad convoy arrived yet?" Aldric asked in return, playing the part of a bumbling tourist.

"They arrived an hour ago. They're at the Chapel of Stendarr, in the west part of town," the guard replied, pointing down one street.

"Thank you, sir."

"Take care." The guard flashed a smile, but Aldric had already started for the Chapel.

It was on his right, and it looked like all the other chapels he had seen during his short time in Cyrodiil--gray stone with a towering steeple and colorful stained-glass windows depicting the Nine Divines. As he walked in, he took note of a hunched over figure wearing a gray robe in the middle pew on the right side of the church.

Aldric said a quick prayer at the altar to Stendarr, hoping he was doing the right thing. _May the Nine lead me to the path of righteousness, no matter how tainted the path may be._

The farmer slowly turned around to leave, taking note of the man in the pew. It was a High Elf, and according to the letter about the convoy, the only one traveling. Aldric wondered what compelled the man to go corrupt. Was it the will of the gods, like everything else in this life? The power that corruption inevitably brought? Or was he just pure evil and looking to exploit it? Laendril appeared to be deep in thought--his eyes were closed and he didn't stir when Aldric took a seat in the pew behind him.

Slowly, the Redguard withdrew the Elven dagger and leaned forward. "Hello, Laendril," he whispered.

Obviously disturbed, the Altmer straightened slightly. "What can I do for you tonight?" came the terse yet priestly reply.

The Redguard looked around the Chapel to confirm he was alone, then he lightly pressed Widowshire against the back of the Altmer's neck. "I want answers. You're going to walk with me into the Undercroft and we're going to talk. If you call for help, I'll sever your spine. Nod if you understand."

Three rapid nods.

"Good. Let's go." Aldric stood from the pew, as did the priest at the farmer's urging. He pushed Laendril toward the rear, down the stairs, and through the door of the Undercroft--after he had locked the other door with the key he had found in the man's pocket.

He put a firm grasp on the man's right shoulder as he locked the door he had entered; at the same time, he put Widowshire back in its pocket.

Then Aldric pushed Laendril down the short flight of steps and was rewarded with a pained grunt as he slammed face first into a pillar. He noticed that only two torches--one on the pillar above Laendril, and one next to Aldric--were lit, and he quickly doused them. The Undercroft was pitch-black, but with the ring Uvani had provided him, he could see the fearful expressions on the man's face.

All the anger that had been building within finally came out to rear its ugly head. He approached slowly.

"Why the fuck did you do it?!" he rasped angrily. The farmer noticed that Laendril was bleeding from a gash on his cheek and looked panic-stricken at his approach. "Why did you frame me?"

Laendril's eyes widened in recognition. "Aldric!"

"The very same, you piece of shit." A punch to the face snapped the priest's head back into the pillar and Aldric thought he saw the man's eyes water a little bit. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You choose."

The priest sputtered for a few seconds but quickly regained his composure. "I wanted you to _suffer_. I'll admit my corruption here and now, but you will not escape here alive!"

Aldric chuckled. "What the fuck do you have? I didn't see any back-up. I don't see anybody down here. I can see in the dark. You can't. All you know is that I'm right in front of you. Now, did you have my father killed?"

"Yes." The Altmer smiled, but Aldric didn't see why he would be doing such a gesture at a time like this.

The farmer shook his head and withdrew Widowshire. He saw the man tense up, and then he cracked his own smile. "This is Falvis' dagger. It's enchanted to drain your strength so you can't fight, as well as your willpower to make you into a babbling idiot. Slowly, of course."

"What's your point, Redguard?"

"My point is, I will start inflicting pain if you don't give me what I want." Aldric slowly ran Widowshire on the man's arm, just so he knew it was there. "Now, Falvis said he had planned to kill you because he felt you weren't--"

"That Mer was insane!" Laendril interrupted. "As mad as those corprus monsters of his homeland!"

Aldric crashed the hilt of the dagger into Laendril's face, breaking his nose. Blood started dripping down his face onto his lips. "Shut the _fuck _up and let me _talk_! He may have been insane, but he wasn't dumb. He was going to get answers from you and then kill you…but me?" He barked a short laugh. "I'm going to take my time with you."

The Knight Brother clamped his hand over Laendril's mouth and stabbed him in the left foot with the dagger. Even though it was muffled, the scream made more noise than he would've liked. He had doused the torches deliberately so Laendril wouldn't know when the blows would hit. The fear of when the next attack would come would hopefully break him down.

"You forced me to go the hard way," Aldric said matter-of-factly. "You don't like the hard way, do you? If you value your other foot, then talk."

"Your father was getting too close to something he shouldn't have," Laendril replied in between ragged breaths. "He knew of my drug trafficking, but not the slaves. Yes, he slandered me for that, and he had to be killed."

Aldric detected slight hesitation at the mention of slandering. Laendril wasn't telling the full truth. "What else, Laendril? I know there's more." He started to put pressure on the wounded foot.

The priest became more animated and was on the verge of yelling when he said, "Stop! Stop! I'll tell, I'll tell!"

Aldric lifted his knee. "Speak, you bastard!"

"Your mother was having an affair with me." The Altmer chuckled. "She was a great fuck, Aldric. She made me splattered all inside her! She was evil, Aldric. She needed contacts in the underworld--I had them. She was _never_ a missionary--she is a Dark Brotherhood agent. However, while you were in Morrowind, she was bitten by a vampire. She roamed Cyrodiil for those five years and when she learned of my coming to the Imperial province, she contacted me so I could meet her. Dive Rock, high in the Jerall Mountains, north-northeast of Cheydinhal."

The words Aldric just heard were the same as a gong being struck next to his head. He felt ready to collapse. His entire life…a lie? No. Father hadn't known that either…but how? She died shortly after he had been born due to complications from his birth! Had she faked her death?

The next few minutes following those thoughts were a blur. Aldric didn't remember much--all he could recall was Laendril laying on the Undercroft floor in a pool of blood with sections of his face cut away. He may have stabbed the chest multiple times and cut the throat a few times, but it was irrelevant.

He burst through the Chapel doors out into the streets of Chorrol, sprinting for The Grey Mare. Aldric wasn't sure of the expression on his face, but it had to be one on the verge of a meltdown. When he reached his room, he dove for the pillow on his bed and buried his face in it.

For the first time since his father had died, at age twenty-six, the Redguard from Rihad sobbed uncontrollably until he cried himself to sleep.


	30. Miscarcand

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Miscarcand

After a deep, troubled sleep, Aldric awoke to a knock at his door.

"Aldric?" a voice, deep and gravelly, asked.

"What do you want?" he replied.

"It's Uvani. May I come in?"

"Sure…"

Uvani came in with Caius Cosades in tow. "Come on, gear up. We have to get out of the city. The Blades may have looked the other way, but the city watch is looking for you."

The mention of the city watch caused Aldric to spring into action, and he was ready to go ten minutes later. The trio snuck out of the city with little effort, even this early in the morning. Outside the north gate stood three horses, one for each of them.

"The third item for the portal ritual is a Great Welkynd Stone," Caius said over the clomping of hooves. Aldric and Caius were following the Nerevarine's lead. "The stone is said to be the power sources for ancient Ayleid ruins. Only one such stone remains, in the depths of Miscarcand."

Aldric knew where it was--he had passed it on his way to Anvil. "Let's do it," he said.

Caius nodded, taking note of Aldric's exhausted, weary look and the bags under his eyes. "Tell us what happened last night, if you don't mind."

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Aldric told the pair of what had happened beneath the Undercroft, what he had learned, and what he had planned to do.

"Just don't get bit," Uvani Lloros had said.

Many hours passed before the trio reached the ancient majestic beauty known as Miscarcand. Aldric was taken aback at the white architecture building, admiring its beauty. One thing that would never leave him was admiration for nature and beautiful buildings.

"Well, here it is," Aldric stated. "Now where's the entrance?"

The trio dismounted their horses and tied them up to nearby tress out of the line of the sight--it wouldn't do to come back and the horses were dead.

"I'll take point," Uvani said. "Caius, you take the middle and Aldric, you take rear. Stay alert."

The trio moved slowly toward the tallest part of the Ayleid ruin, scanning all sectors before confirming it was safe. They walked down a spiral staircase within the main structure and came to a door.

"Here goes nothing." Uvani pushed on the door and it slid inward, causing him to lose his balance and almost trip down the steps. Looking slightly embarrassed, he quickly recovered and Aldric closed the door behind the trio.

This was Aldric's first experience in an Ayleid ruin, but Caius and Uvani seemed to know a bit about them.

"See that door up ahead?" Caius asked the Redguard, pointing to a square panel with a circle in the middle at the end of the hall. "You can't get through those types of doors without activating the proper pressure plate. The plates are square and contain a blue jewel in the middle. A firm push should activate them."

The trio searched the corridor but came up empty. "Damn," Caius muttered. "This door is probably activated from another location. Let's move on."

As they turned down another corridor off to their right, passing over the body of a dead Goblin (which, upon inspection, was part of the Bitterfish tribe), they emerged on a bridge that overlooked the lower level of the room. Down below, skeletons and more of the Bitterfish Goblins were waging battle with each other.

"Let's mop up the survivors when they're finished," Uvani whispered as the three sat back and watched. In the end, the skeletons came out on top.

Uvani jumped down first, followed by Aldric and Caius. Uvani batted away the incoming claymore of one skeleton, and slashed at its spine. It collapsed in two separate piles, screeching as it fell. Aldric ducked the mace attack of another, and blocked the sword strike of still another with his shield.

"Aldric, move!" Caius yelled. When Aldric moved out of the way, Caius cast a potent Fire Tempest spell that caused both skeletons to explode into charred piles of bones.

As the trio moved down a nearby corridor, dispatching more skeletons and zombies, they emerged into a bigger room on a bridge similar to the previous room, except bigger. They had a lot of work ahead of them and no time to waste, so they set about figuring out the massive Ayleid ruin.

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Soon, they entered the section of Miscarcand known as the Morimath. Aldric, Caius, and Uvani had passed through a previous section called Sel Vanua to get to here. Down below on another level, the Great Welkynd Stone was suspended within a glowing field of magicka.

Uvani ran ahead with the other two in tow, bisecting zombies along the way and leaving trails of blood in their wake. As the last zombie fell from a decapitated head, Aldric could see the Great Welkynd Stone and made a dash for it.

He reached out into the force-field of magicka, and was surprised when he was met with little resistance. It slipped right into his hands, and Aldric put it in his rucksack. The Nerevarine and Blade Spymaster came to a halt behind him as they all heard the grinding noise of shutting doors.

"Shit!" Aldric yelled. "It's a trap!"

"Wait, you hear that?" Caius asked. Everyone went silent as the sounds of moaning and groaning were heard. It was chilling enough to make the hairs on everyone's bodies to stand on end--something was coming for them.

Then a loud, piercing shriek behind them broke the silence. They all spun around with weapons drawn, and there stood a man, or a thing, rather. It wore an old rusty helm with matching pauldrons. Its skin was a sickly brownish-gray, and while the skeleton wasn't fully exposed, it was noticeable. It was clad in a long maroon robe that covered its body, and it was complete with a necklace containing three green gems and a staff that looked capable of shooting magic out of it.

"What the fuck?" Aldric cursed. "Is that a lich…?!"

"It's the King of Miscarcand!" Caius exclaimed as the ancient lich-king raised its staff toward them. Three zombies shambled out behind it. "Get down!"

All three dove to the floor as the King fired a bolt of lightning at them. The zombies, for all they were worth, were coming at them rather quickly and soon closed the distance. One fell on Caius while he was still on the floor, attempting to gnaw at his face, but a swift stabbing maneuver caused it to flail and back off.

"Focus on those zombies!" Aldric yelled. "I'm going for the King!"

The Redguard ignored the pleads of the two experienced warriors not to attack, because the anger from what he had just learned push him over the edge, which would end up being a mistake.

Right as Aldric went to slash at the King of Miscarcand, the King threw out its hand and moved it to his right, sending Aldric into a nearby wall. As the farmer was about to fall, the King grabbed him by the throat and pressed him back against the wall. _It has some powerful Illusion magic_, he thought.

"You dare disturb my rest?" the King asked in a disembodied, angry voice. "Do you dare trifle with the power of the Ayleids!"

Aldric still had his sword in hand, and while it was tough from his current position, he managed to slice sideways and hit the King's helm. The undead lich seemed to be stunned, as the grip on Aldric's throat slackened and he stumbled back. Aldric elbowed the bony hand, thinking he heard a break.

By this time, Uvani and Caius charged into the battle with the Lich-King. Both had to duck a lightning blast from the King's staff, but it was distracted, so the Redguard swung low and cut deep into one of its legs. It collapsed to its good knee, but still managed to stand with its staff raised in a combat stance.

Uvani went to do an overhead chop, but the King blocked it with its staff horizontal. The Nerevarine was not one to be off-put, though, and he followed it up with a quick combination of slice, chop, and thrust - the latter two striking the King and dealing heavy damage.

Then the battle ended when Caius nocked an arrow on his bow and shot it right through the the right eye-socket of the ancient King. The Lich stumbled forward, then backward and collapsed--dead after a long period of time.

Aldric noticed that a worn and rusted key had fallen from the King of Miscarcand's body, and he bent over to scoop it up. "It's a key. You think it'll provide an alternative exit out of here?"

The Spymaster of Vvardenfell walked over to a nearby pressure plate he had spotted, causing two doors to slide open. One was empty, but the other caused a zombie to shamble out of its passage.

Caius raised his bow, nocking an arrow in the string. "My gut says that if some evil horrific creature shambles out of one passage, and not the other, that we should go that way."

He shot the arrow and the battle resumed.

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"You have the armor of Tiber Septim _and_ the Great Welkynd Stone?" Martin asked. When he got nods from the three warriors, he smiled. "Great job. I knew you could do it."

"Thank you," Aldric asked. "Where should we put the artifacts?"

"Right here on the table is fine."

The Redguard wrestled with his rucksack for a few seconds before producing the Welkynd stone, and took another minute to pull the large heavy cuirass from the sack.

"Have you determined what the fourth artifact is, Your Grace?" Spymaster Cosades asked.

"Not yet, it still eludes me. But Jauffre has asked that we start closing gates outside of the major cities. He and I both have a feeling that the Mythic Dawn is going to strike Bruma soon with a Great Gate. We need as many allies from the major cities as we can get, but with gates outside their walls, they'd be reluctant. I need the three of you to go to the cities' Counts and/or Countesses and tell them the situation. You may start tomorrow morning."


	31. Family Reunion

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirty - Family Reunion

Over the next week and a half, Aldric of Rihad, Uvani Lloros, and Caius Cosades went about Cyrodiil closing the Oblivion gates outside the main cities. They started on the west coast with Anvil, and had slowly been progressing towards eastern Cyrodiil.

When the gate outside of Cheydinhal was closed, with two warriors who claimed to be from an outfit called the Knights of the Thorn in tow, the trio had taken up residence in the Newlands Lodge (which was right across from the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn). Aldric had been surprised by the number of people who had heard of his noble deeds--the fact that he was known as the "Hero of Kvatch" confirmed this.

Now, however, he lay in bed with his hand behind his head, reading the destinations for the Rihad Convoy in the letter he had taken in Anvil. News of Laendril's death had traveled quickly, but strangely, no one seemed to have cared. Not even the priests had made some sort of public speech. A simple funeral procession had been done in Chorrol, then the body would be shipped back to Summerset Isle for burial. At least, that was what the latest edition of the Black Horse Courier said.

_For all I care, I hope the boat carrying his body sinks in the Abecean Sea_, Aldric had thought at the time.

Knowing what that corrupt priest had done to him and his family, and learning the true nature of his mother, he had hoped that the closing of the Oblivion gates by the three of them would allow him the opportunity to settle the score with his mother.

Aldric studied the list, reading over where the man would've gone. Then he noticed that the day Laendril would have arrived in Cheydinhal was, in fact, the 21st of Hearthfire--today's date. Somehow, the date seemed familiar to the Redguard. He thought about some of the dates his father had mentioned before, besides birthdays and holidays.

Then it hit him: the 21st of Hearthfire was the day his mother had disappeared…one day before his birthday…which was tomorrow. _Wow, _Aldric thought. _Shows how addled _your _mind is. You almost forgot about your birthday._

Tomorrow, he would be 27 years old. Just thinking about that made him feel old. Aldric smiled.

"You're still young yet, Aldric my boy," he said quietly, grinning this time. For a few minutes, he closed his eyes, feeling at peace.

Suddenly, he lurched upright and looked at the letter about the Rihad Convoy. He read the time of arrival for Cheydinhal…today was the date, the time…the time! Aldric thought he heard the sounds of music playing faintly outside, gradually increasing in volume; he practically dove off the bed and ran to the nearest window.

Sure enough, the Convoy was coming through Cheydinhal's west gate, much to the pleasure of the city's citizens, who had come out of their shops and homes to see the priests' arrival.

Aldric scanned the letter again and recalled what Laendril had said before the Redguard had murdered him: _"When she learned of my coming to the Imperial province, she contacted me so I could meet her. Dive Rock, high in the Jerall Mountains, north-northeast of Cheydinhal."_

"Dive Rock…" Aldric muttered, hurrying back to his bed to fish out his world map. He unrolled it on a nearby table--much to his surprise, Dive Rock was already labeled on his map as a small mountain peak inside of an equally small square.

He spotted a piece of blank paper, a quill, and ink dipper conveniently next to his map on the desk. Aldric quickly scribbled a note for Caius and the Nerevarine, then packed up what he would need and suited up in his armor.

Before leaving the Newlands Lodge, he grabbed his ebony long-sword. He really hoped he wouldn't need it, but his gut told him that he might end up using it. It was a feeling he was dreading as he made for the east gate. Before he passed through, he glanced at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, giving it a long hard stare.

_You haven't sent any of your killers after me. Keep it like that,_ he silently said to the building. The city guard pushed open the door with a friendly smile, and Aldric began walking.

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Since it was only around nine in the morning, Aldric took the time to enjoy the pleasures of the countryside. The Jerall Mountains, with their snow-topped peaks and steep rolling sides, were a beautiful sight to him. Admiring the views on his way to Dive Rock served to put him at ease.

He saw a random gate to Oblivion on his left and detoured by going on the right hand side of an Ayleid ruin named Fanacas (which he marked on his map).

His journey took him past a small settlement named Walker Camp (which, from his far-away view, contained two men of the Cammona Tong--he steered clear of the camp), a cave named Kingscrest Cavern, and another camp named Aerin's Camp; all of which he marked to his map.

It was at the latter site, though, that he met an extraordinary man named Torben.

"How come this place is named Aerin's Camp, then?"

"Ah, I don't know myself actually," the Nord man replied. "But! I _am_ a master of acrobatics. I can teach you a feel exercises and combat maneuvers if you'd like."

And so Aldric watched and imitated this gigantic Nord, who showed him various exercises that got his blood pumping. Eventually though, he had to bid the Nord farewell, as he had a hike to Dive Rock.

"Oh be careful!" Torben exclaimed. "Supposedly, a great beast lives near there! I've heard loud shouts and groans at night. Watch your back, friend…and come back anytime you like."

_Well, that's a nice thought,_ Aldric thought, semi-amused. _Let's just hope that beast stays out of the way of my destination._

The comfort that the hilt of his ebony long-sword brought quelled the thoughts of some mad beast wandering the top of the mountain. Yet it didn't quell the fear and anger of meeting his mother, a vampire who worked for the Dark Brotherhood.

He would have plenty of questions for Mother, who's name he had never known.

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As the Redguard climbed the inclines on the Jerall Mountains, he could feel the cold starting to get to him. A slight layer of snow had begun to fall, which didn't mix well with his mindset nor his heritage. Being from a province that was mainly desert, the cold didn't sit well with him.

But before long, as he gripped the last outcropping, he managed to pull himself to the top. He didn't dare look back--he knew that if he did, he'd let go and tumble. The determination to put his past to rest was what pushed him onward, though.

At the top stood a campfire that still managed to burn through the layer of snow, a few seats around the campfire…and a body. Upon seeing this, he drew his ebony long-sword and approached what looked to be a book near the body. It turned out to be the journal of Agnar, who currently laid at his feet. He scanned the book's pages, but never took his eyes off the surrounding landscape.

It was then that Aldric saw a figure in an enchanted hooded robe (black as the soul of Sithis) walk from behind a nearby boulder. The figure's head was slightly bowed, but the hands were the color of chocolate.

"It's been so long, Laendril," the distinctly female figure said. "I missed--"

When the Redguard woman looked up, she froze in mid-sentence. Both mother and son locked eyes as they stared each other down; unbeknownst to both, memories sparked through each others minds, especially in the mother.

"Aldric," his mother said quietly, so quietly that it sounded like a whisper. She was too shocked for her voice to be louder.

"Why, mother?" he asked pleadingly. A single tear streaked down his face, which was wiped away by a gust of wind that blew across the mountain top. "Why did you do this?"

She bent down and placed two weapons (a short-sword and a dagger) beside the boulder and took a few steps away from them. "I have placed my weapons on the ground. Would you kindly do the same, my son?"

Aldric gripped his ebony long-sword tighter than he had been. "I'm sorry, mother, but I don't trust you. You need to answer a lot of questions before I even _think_ to go of my sword. Sit across from me."

Over the course of fifteen minutes, Aldric questioned his mother on various things, including his parents' marriage, his birth, and her initiation into the Dark Brotherhood.

He found out that his mother had been nearly raped seven months into her pregnancy and, seeking revenge, killed the man a month later. But since the man had never committed a crime--the closest he had came was attempted rape--his mother had murdered an innocent. The Dark Brotherhood contacted her and she reluctantly joined.

Her lust for power and blood, hidden deep within her, bubbled to the surface and consumed her. In exchange for the life of her unborn child to be spared, Aldric's mother birthed him, then faked her death under the guise of birth complications to fully embrace her dark side. This path down the road to evil also brought her to Laendril.

"But how come you're here and now him?" she asked.

A smile played on Aldric's face. "I killed him. Mother, did you know that Laendril prayed to the Night Mother to kill Father? And then prayed to have me frame so I would _die_ in prison?!"

There was an awkward silence, punctuated by tension. The only sound was the wind blowing the snow atop the peak. The farmer could feel his hand inching closer to the hilt of his sword.

"Well?!" Aldric yelled.

"No, I didn't know!" his mother shouted, whimpering.

"I murdered your so-called "lover" for putting me here. _For fucking up my life!_ I cut him up so bad, his face was barely discernible. How could you betray me and father like that? _How?!_"

"Because Laendril was just as fucked up as I am!"

His mother kicked a layer of snow at him, temporarily blinding him, but not so much. Aldric cast a Fire spell at the spot where his mother dropped her weapons, and it narrowly missed. She dove to the ground, scooping up her short-sword and launching at her son.

Aldric hadn't brought his shield, but he did have the advantage of wearing his ebony armor. So far it was holding, but he had no idea what his mother had up her sleeve. He blocked a few chops and thrusts, but a few blows did manage to connect his armor.

He wasn't wounded, though, and finally got the upper hand when he blocked a slash to the left, smacked his mother on the cheek with the hilt of the sword. This move sent her stumbling back into the campfire, causing her to trip and momentarily set her leg aflame. Aldric stepped over the fire and knocked her sword away from her.

As she began to stand, the farmer put the tip of his sword near her throat, just in case she tried anything.

"Mother…please," he said sadly, his face contorting into a sad expression. "Please…tell me your name."

Aldric's mother sighed, looked at the ground, then back at her own son. The young man could see the evil behind her eyes, yet at the same time, a trace of love. "May I have a hug? Just one last hug, please. I know I've been bested."

With great reluctance, the Knight Brother slowly lowered his sword. His mother crossed the snow-topped ground to her son and for what seemed like an eternity, the two Redguards embraced in a tight hug. Tears flowed from mother and son's eyes.

"My name," she finally whispered, "is Audrey."

Then suddenly, Audrey pushed Aldric back with enough force to throw him on his ass. Startled, he went to make a move for his weapon, but as he stood, he watched sadly as his mother leapt off the edge of Dive Rock.

"Mother!" he yelled helplessly, running to the edge and watched as his mother crunched into the hills below.

Aldric dropped his sword in the snow, unable to comprehend. Then, for reasons he would not understand, he collapsed on his butt, then his back and stared at the sky. It mattered not that it was snowing--he felt like dying. He was the only one left in his family.

One strange thing came to mind though. He noticed that his mother hadn't looked like a vampire, so thusly he hadn't questioned her on it. He felt stupid for not saying anything, but he could only assume she had been cured.

_At least she had been spared from a miserable existence as a blood-sucker_, he thought.


	32. Calm Before The Storm

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirty-One - Calm Before the Storm

When Aldric finally emerged from his deep slumber, he found himself in the Main Hall of Cloud Ruler Temple. His head had been on a table and it took some time to fully readjust to his surroundings, the blurriness still thick in his eyes. All he could recall was passing out at the top of Dive Rock.

_Uvani and Caius must've gotten my note,_ he thought. _I'm hoping I helped close the rest of the Oblivion gates._

For the life of him, Aldric couldn't remember.

Over by the fire he could see Jauffre, Baurus, Captain Steffan, the Nerevarine, Caius, and Martin Septim (now wearing Tiber Septim's cuirass and other pieces of armor). He stood from the chair he was sitting in, and approached the group.

The talk coming from the small cluster sounded excited and yet nervous at the same time. Something was going on.

"What's going on everybody?" he asked.

The chatter stopped and everybody was briefly silent as they craned their heads toward the Redguard.

"Ah, you're awake," Martin said pleasantly. "Good. We have much to discuss."

"Alright. Well, first off, do we know what the last component is for the ritual?"

The Emperor nodded. "What we need is a Great Sigil Stone. Now, getting it is easier said than done. In order to acquire such a stone, the only choice we have is to…well, is to let the Daedra open the Great Gate, and from all the signs I've been seeing, it's supposed to happen today."

"Which is _not_ the best idea!" Jauffre interjected angrily, which Aldric thought was uncharacteristic of the normally cool-headed Breton. "Even with the allies we've acquired, it's still dangerous!"

The group went back to arguing again before Aldric had enough. He whistled loudly to get everybody's attention and they again turned to him.

"It may not be a very smart option," Aldric said calmly, "but we have exhausted every other option available. We have to make due with what we can do."

"That's the best advice I've heard all morning," Baurus said.

"This is true," Jauffre conceded. "I may not like it, but it's what we have to do. Martin, let's head down to Bruma and meet with Countess Carvain in the Chapel of Talos. Let's go everyone."

Jauffre started for the main doors, followed by Baurus and Martin. Aldric took up a place behind the Emperor, followed by Uvani, Caius, and Steffan. The procession walked through Cloud Ruler's gates down the hill toward Bruma's north gate.

The city watchman let them in, and they proceeded south toward the Chapel. Up on the battlements near Castle Bruma, Aldric could see small campfires burning and tents erected for the soldiers who were going to fight in the coming battle. When the battle would occur was yet to be determined, but the mood as well as the vibe that he picked up suggested that it was going to start soon.

"How are you?" Uvani whispered behind him.

"I'm alright," Aldric whispered over his shoulder. "But I don't think I'll ever be the same again."

"Dealing with treachery within your own family can be a tough thing. Trust me, I know."

As the small procession proceeded down a set of steps past the Fighters Guild and Mages Guild, Aldric was wondering how many troops had been sent. Since he couldn't recall anything after Dive Rock, the urge to know was almost too much to handle.

This train of thought startled Aldric, but he stifled it and asked. "How many troops are there total?"

"Well," the Nerevarine replied, noticeably thinking, "there's you, me, Caius, Martin, Jauffre, Captain Steffan, Baurus, Captain Burd, and two guards from the Bruma City Watch. That's ten. Then there are two soldiers from Anvil, two from Chorrol, one from Leyawiin, and one from Skingrad. Then there's Viera Lerus from the Bravil City Watch, and Ulrich Leland from the Cheydinhal City Watch."

"So that means eighteen highly trained men against an innumerable amount of Daedra?" Aldric asked in disbelief.

"Pretty much," the Nerevarine replied. "But that's good. We're all highly capable. Now, let's be quiet. We're about to enter the Chapel."

Aldric took one last look to the east of Bruma. The sky was beginning to darken and it was only the morning. He had a feeling that the battle was near.

The doors swung open and the procession marched in toward the altar where Captain Burd and Countess Narina Carvain stood. She smiled at Uvani, Caius, and Aldric.

"You're diplomats as well as warriors, it seems!" she exclaimed. "I would prefer more men, of course, but if we must offer battle now, so be it."

Martin stepped forward. "I--we, will do our best, Lady Carvain."

She nodded, a grim expression on her face. "So be it. Bruma's fate is in the hands of the gods now…and yours." She turned toward Captain Burd. "Deploy the troops for battle!"

"Right away, my Lady!" the imposing Nord replied, running for the Chapel doors. Aldric heard him shout the order to the troops up on the battlements. The distant sounds of armor being clicked into place could be heard, and footsteps began to be heard as the troops mustered themselves. The voices of the townspeople could also be heard.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Aldric whispered to Caius.

"I agree," the old Imperial replied. "Just stick close to Martin. We're all capable warriors."

The procession began to advance back into the city and towards Bruma's east gate. All the while the townspeople cheered and clapped and hooted and hollered for the new Emperor.

"People of Bruma!" the Emperor shouted. "Fear not! For today, history will be made! I trust that you will all pray to the Nine for our safe guidance!"

"Emperor!" a man yelled, coming in through the east gate. "It's started! A smaller gate has already been opened just east of here, down in the pit!"

Everybody's heads turned toward the open gate, and sure enough, a standard size Oblivion gate could be partially seen.

Martin turned to the troops that had been gathered. He grabbed his long-sword and pulled it from his sheath. "For Tamriel!" he shouted triumphantly.

The soldiers, as well as Caius, Uvani, and Aldric and the rest from Cloud Ruler Temple, each pulled out their weapons practically in unison. "For Tamriel!" they echoed at once. Even the city folks joined in.

"To battle!"

A massive surge of troops barreled out through the east gate, with Aldric somewhere in the middle. As the Oblivion gate loomed in the distance, edging ever closer the more steps he took, he took a deep breath.

_Focus, Aldric my boy. You've put the past behind you, for now. Let's do this._


	33. The Great Gate

-1_Author's Note: Sorry for the wait guys and gals, I've been studying for exams all week and I've been working on the sequel (you heard it here first!) for this story, which I've planned to be more detailed as well as longer. Evidence of this will begin in the next chapter, so for now, enjoy! R+R as always!_

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirty-Two - The Great Gate

"_Close shut the jaws of Oblivion,_" Emperor Uriel Septim VII had said in the dark recesses of the Imperial Prison Sewers.

Standing in that room with a man who had seen his death approaching seemed like it had been forever ago. Aldric and the large group of soldiers from the various cities were rapidly approaching the dip that laid east of Bruma. The shimmering Oblivion gate was calling for him. He felt its evil drawing him in; this battle would be the deciding factor of the Oblivion Crisis, as Captain Burd had put it.

The contingent of troops skidded to a halt at the top of the dip, each set of eyes staring intently at the Oblivion gate.

"Before us stands an enemy who cares not for the populace's minds!" Martin Septim bellowed. It was a voice that startled Aldric; he had always thought that the man's voice was soft-spoken. "Mehrunes Dagon will try to make a grand entrance with the Mythic Dawn's help! But will we let them?!"

"NO!" the soldiers yelled in response, thrusting their swords high into the air.

"The very lives of Bruma--no, of the _Empire_ are at stake! We will push the Daedra back with all our might! _We will not fail!_"

At that moment, the Oblivion gate pulsed brightly, leaving everyone momentarily blind. When their vision was clear, various types of Daedra ranging from Scamps to Clannfears to Dremora were standing at the Gate.

"There they are now!" Martin exclaimed, pointing his sword at the cluster of Daedra. "Everybody, get ready and mind your footing! Charge!"

As one, the troops surged down the hill, screaming and howling for the Empire. Aldric could see at least one member of each race in the massive cluster; he had never felt so close to kinship with his fellow man and mer. It was a powerful moment of unity that had never been seen before.

As the Dremora clashed with the soldiers, sparks started flying as the Dremora swordsman and mages cast spells and swung their swords. Blood started spilling and limbs started flying.

Aldric had to duck the body of an incoming soldier flying towards him, seeing that a Clannfear had thrown him back. The Redguard rolled forward and came up with his shield in front of him, just in time to deflect the lizard creature's claws. He slashed right through its neck and decapitated it, then turned his attention towards a Dremora mage.

The mage tried to swing its mace at him, and almost managed to connect with his helmet. He arched his upper body backwards, then he had to jump back to avoid a push front kick. Aldric dropped his sword to grab the incoming foot, then he removed Widowshire and stabbed the mage in the upper thigh. The Daedric humanoid groaned in pain and doubled over backwards. Aldric moved in for the kill and stabbed it in the face. Once it was dead, he removed the dagger and put it back in his pouch.

Picking up his sword, he looked around for Martin amidst the confusion and chaos. Martin was doing surprisingly well for himself, parrying and dodging the magical attacks as well as the sword swipes.

Nearby, a second Oblivion gate opened and more daedra piled out from it like a never ending supply of water from a faucet. Aldric's armor was stained with blood and he noticed some of the men lying dead on the ground.

Just as the third gate opened, he heard a familiar cry of pain nearby. Aldric became alarmed, thinking it was Martin, but it was Captain Steffan laying on his back…without his left arm. A Dremora Kynval was swinging at him, but the Nord was using his own severed arm to deflect the blows as much as possible!

"Steffan!" Aldric cried, hoping he wouldn't take his eye off of the Dremora before him.

Unfortunately, the Blade captain risked a glance over his shoulder and the Dremora cut him down with its sword right through the center. The Redguard became enraged and in a blind fury he chopped the Dremora's arms off and kicked it to the ground. A fresh coat of blood sprayed upon his face.

"Aldric!" Caius called out over the chaos of battle. "Get in there! The Great Gate has opened! Go!"

The farmer turned on his heel and there stood the immense gate that had spawned forth…whatever had destroyed Kvatch. It was three times the size of a normal Oblivion gate, and three times as wide. He ascertained that Martin was safe, as was Baurus and Jauffre, before he ran for the Gate.

"Keep Martin alive!" Aldric screamed furiously, ducking another Dremora's mace and cutting it in two. Doing this left him on bad footing and he almost tripped but he recovered by propelling off his feet and rolling into the Great Gate.

When he emerged, he had to get his footing right and when he finally did, way out in the distance, stood a red sun with three long rays of light. Off to his left and right were two towers flanking each other, followed by another two after that, and finally what appeared to be the citadel off in the distance. But that sun…

_What in Oblivion is that? _his mind screamed, ignoring the irony of his statement after realizing what he had said.

Then he noticed that it wasn't a sun, but a large device slowly advancing like a caterpillar, the three rays suddenly turning into prongs that spun slowly.

"By the Nine!" he yelled and immediately began sprinting forward…directly at the monstrosity before him. He knew he was half-nuts in doing so, but Aldric knew he didn't have time to dawdle.

He ran along the left hand side of the towers, ignoring both of them as he came closer to the strange Daedric device.

_It's a Siege Crawler!_ he finally realized. He had read about them as a kid while studying the Daedric gods in school. The power and immense damage they wielded weren't something to be trifled with, so he sprinted as fast as possible, ignoring the fire balls that the Daedric towers spit as well as the arrows from Dremora archers. He couldn't stop; his will to succeed and save Tamriel were unbreakable and as such his mind state was that he would murder anyone who told him otherwise.

By some stroke of luck, Aldric had managed to jump off the bridge to the ground below when he reached the second set of towers and avoided the Daedric Siege Crawler. In the distance by another bridge that led to the Oblivion tower was a door. He pushed all of his might forward and found himself collapsing into the door; before he fell down inward he caught the name--"The Smoke and Scorch."

The next few minutes were a blur; all Aldric could remember was slashing and cutting and dismembering various types of Daedra, at times even using martial arts to knock them down. He couldn't stop--he knew that once he reached the Sigillum Sanguis and retrieved the Great Sigil Stone that all the Daedra would be destroyed along with the Gates outside of Bruma.

Before long, with many pissed off wound Daedra in his wake, he came upon another door. He pushed through and shut it behind him. Aldric found himself inside of one of the towers, called a World Breaker.

_Question is,_ he thought, _which one am I in? _

He knew he was on the bottom level and a Scamp was coming to say "how do you do?" Aldric replied in kind with a swift punch to the face and a stab in the gut with his ebony long-sword. He eyed the corpse masher in the center and, spotting the nearby switch, he began his ascent to the top (being careful to avoid the long spikes in the center, of course).

He stopped halfway at the top and made his way up the spiral walkway. At the top stood a Dremora swordsman and a gate switch, possibly to the Blood Feast.

It snarled something he couldn't comprehend but the drawing of the sword was enough for him. Aldric likewise pulled his own long-sword out and the two exchanged blows, blocking and side-stepping until Aldric managed to land a thrust in the demon's gut, spurting forth streams of blood. He kicked the swordsman off his sword and the corpse tumbled off the edge and landed with a sickening crunch, most likely on the corpse masher (a glance over the edge confirmed this).

He turned his attention to the gate switch and after sheathing his long-sword, he grabbed the switch and pulled down with all of his strength. It took a few tries but when it finally held, the three prongs that acted as the gears and looked like claws began to move. In the silence of the tower, the far-off sound of the gate opening could be heard.

Aldric couldn't dawdle any longer--he had no idea as to how close the Siege Crawler was, so he made his way back to where the corpse masher had stopped and exited a door he had passed on the way up. He was relieved to find himself outside, strange as that may have been, because nowhere in Oblivion shouldn't have brought him relief.

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_Damn the Mythic Dawn!_ he thought angrily as he ran up the ramp to the Great Sigil Stone. _Why the hell do they have to be delusional enough to do this?_

A Daedroth was right on his heels, swiping out with its claws in an effort to grab him. It had been chasing him throughout the Blood Feast; despite being wounded and near death, it hungered for Aldric's blood.

The farmer knocked over a Punished container and pushed it down the ramp in an effort to slow it down. It rolled and rolled and smashed into the Daedroth, knocking it back even further.

Aldric could see the Stone--it was bigger than the one he had retrieved at Kvatch, and figured it would work the same way. He didn't hesitate and grabbed it like a beggar fighting for a sweet roll. Immediately a fiery haze mixed with a powerful gust of wind began to swirl throughout the room and the Daedroth that had come up the ramp began to vaporize before his eyes.

He was blown off his feet and had to grab on to one of the railings (made of some kind of bone, much to his displeasure) in order to hang on. With great difficulty, Aldric managed to bury the Great Sigil Stone deep within his rucksack before a large explosion and a brief flash of light made everything black.


	34. Paradise Lost

-1_Once again, I apologize for the delay, but I took my time like this, as well as enjoying my summer and listening to some good hiphop music. As a side note, check out "War Is My Destiny (feat. Max Cavalera and Immortal Technique)" by ILL BILL; I find that it fit's the Defense of Bruma segement really well for something reason, lol. But anyways, I hope you enjoy this!_

The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirty-Three - Paradise Lost

"Get the last of them!" someone called out. A shriek from something demonic was heard, followed by squishy sound--blood?

Aldric tried to put a name to the voice, but wasn't able to--he felt severely out of joint and his head was pounding. His vision was blurry and when he tried to breathe he doubled over and began coughing up something black. He soon realized it was dust and ashes and also discovered he was covered in it from head to toe.

"Get the wounded to the castle!" another voice said, this one faintly Nordic. "They need to see a healer immediately!" Despite their years of training and experience, soldiers from the city watch were not trained in the art of Restoration--or not very much for that matter.

Aldric craned his neck to look behind him; his vision was beginning to clear up and he focused his attention on the fallen Daedric Siege Crawler that looked like it had been sheared in half.

_Damn,_ he thought. _I was just in time. It was half way through the gate when I grabbed the stone._

He also noticed how far he was from the remnants of the Great Gate. He must've been thrown pretty far when the Gate collapsed, and he felt lucky that he had survived. The adrenalin that had been running through him had felt as though his veins could've burst at any second, but he was relieved that the Battle of Bruma was over.

"Hey, it's Aldric!" the Nordic voice called out, which Aldric quickly identified as that of Captain Burd. "He's alive!"

The Knight Brother leaned up at the waist and found himself coughing and sputtering as more dust exited his mouth. He saw Captain Burd and Uvani Lloros approach him from different directions, standing over him as if he were wounded. "How did we fare?" Aldric asked.

"Rather well," the Nerevarine replied and Captain Burd nodded. "Except for--"

"Captain Steffan," Aldric interrupted glummy. He had seriously hoped that he could've saved the fierce brave Nord, who had continue to fight even with one arm missing. "Damn..."

"It is rather regretful," Captain Burd said saddly. "Caius, Jauffre, and Baurus have taken the body back to Cloud Ruler Temple for a proper burial and ceremony." The Bruma Guard Captain shook his head.

"I gather Martin is back at the Temple?"

"He should be," Uvani replied. "Unless he's at the castle healing the wounded and speaking to the surviving soldiers. He did whether well for himself, considering he's only a priest. Must be the Septim bloodline."

Aldric just realized that he had a break, a brief respite from this long and dangerous journey. He had no idea why but he thought back to when he met Irlav Jarol at the Arcane University, and the conversation the two had.

"Uvani...tell Martin and Jauffre that I'm heading to the Imperial City," the Redguard called out, walking away from Bruma. "I'll be back before dusk."

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"Ah, Aldric!" the friendly Imperial mage said to the Redguard as he entered the Arch-Mage's tower. "It's been awhile since our last visit. I heard that you closed the Great Gate at Bruma!"

Aldric forced a smile. "Yes, that was me, but it wasn't _just _me," he replied, watching the aged man rustle through various magic components, including a mortal & pestle, a retort, a calcinatory, an alembic, and various types of soul gems. "There were others, too. Including the Emperor."

Irlav stopped what he was doing to look at Aldric. "The Emperor fought, too? But isn't he just a priest?"

"You have to consider that he's part of the Septim bloodline," Aldric reminded the mage. Sometimes these kinds of people were so engrossed with research that they forgot such simple facts. "He had to lead the stand against the Daedra to show he was a strong leader. Plus, he used to be a powerful mage back in his young days."

He didn't get a reply back as the mage seemed to be having trouble pulling a large skull out of a pile of junk. "Need any help?"

"No!" Jarol grunted as he pulled with great effort and finally got the large skull out. It looked like an animal's skull, with the mouth open thirsting for blood. The top of the skull was circular, as weas the shape of the jaw.

"What is that?" the Redguard asked, curiosity clear in his voice.

"The famous Bloodworm Helm," the Imperial replied with a noticeable trace of disgust. "The Guild has been having some…troubles, to say the least. So I'm taking the Helm with me."

"What kind of troubles? And where are you going?"

"Well…are you aware of necromancy?"

Aldric nodded. He knew all about the dark profane art of raising the dead. He found the so-called art disgusting, mainly because mucking about with the dead wasn't appealing to him and it creeped him out. "Yes, of course. What of it?"

"It's been an increasing problem here in Cyrodiil," Irlav continued, stuffing the Bloodworm Helm inside a large rucksack, similar to his own. "One of our guild halls was recently attacked…right before the Battle of Bruma took place actually. Mannimarco is back."

_Well, I'll be damned,_ Aldric thought, shocked. He had thought that the King of Worms had been defeated during The Daggerfall Incident, something else he had learned about in school where a mysterious agent was sent by Martin's father to investigate King Lysandus' death as well as to find a missing letter the Emperor sent to the Queen of Daggerfall, High Rock. It had ended up with the supposed destruction of the King of Worms, but it seems he was wrong.

"Look, I figured I'd need some magical enchanting done for some of my weapons," Aldric said. "Can that be done real quick?"

Irlav Jarol shook his head furiously. "I'm really sorry, but I can't right now. The Council of Mages is split on how to act in response to Mannimarco's attack. Some of us feel that we need to fight fire with fire. I'm one of them."

"Damn," the farmer muttered. "Well, do you have anything that might help me?"

The Imperial paused for a moment to stroke his chin. "As a matter of fact, I do." He reached into the folds of his white robe and produced a ring. "This ring. I've had it for awhile, but I don't think I'll ever need it. It's supposed to make one more skilled in the art of Destruction magic; able to cast powerful types of magic, so long as one wears the ring and can will it with their mind."

Aldric grinned broadly; this is exactly what he had come for. "Thank you. I wish you luck on your endeavor with the necromancers, Irlav. And thank you."

"It's no problem," Irlav replied. "I also wish you luck with the Oblivion Crisis. But, I go now to Fort Teleman."

With that, the mage exited the Arch-Mage's Tower with the rucksack on his shoulder. Aldric vaguely remembered Fort Teleman being mentioned by Caius when they had gone to close Leyawiin's gate, saying it was northeast of that city. He took out his world map and marked it for the sake of complacency. He slipped the ring over his right ring finger over his gloved hand. He felt magicka swirl around his body for a few seconds, then it felt like it had entered through his skin.

Aldric didn't know it, but this encounter would mark the last time seeing Irlav Jarol.

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The trip back up to Cloud Ruler Temple was uneventful save for the occasional creature or crazy bandit wanting to take a bite or slice out of him, respectively. When he reached the Main Hall, he found everybody waiting for him.

"We've been expecting your arrival," Jauffre commented. "You are the only one who can go through. Anymore than that, and the portal will collapse."

"Sounds good to me," Aldric said. "Whenever you're ready, Martin."

Aldric stood between Caius Cosades and Uvani Lloros, and leaned in towards Caius. "Did Steffan get a proper burial?"

The old Spymaster nodded. "Yes. Very fitting for a Blade who dedicated his entire life to the Empire."

"What did you go to the Arcane University for?" Uvani whispered next. Aldric held up his right hand and showed off the ring. The Dark Elf grinned. "Very nice. What does it do?"

"Irlav Jarol of the Mages Guild said its supposed to make me more skilled in Destruction magic, but I guess we'll see."

"Shh!" Jauffre hushed. "Martin's about to begin!"

The room became quiet as Martin began chanting an incomprehensible language, fiery pillars of magic surrounding his form. His eyes glowed bright and he seemed to levitate off of the floor, spreading his arms. Then a large explosion occurred, nearly throwing everybody about the room and reminding Aldric of when Mankar Camoran opened his portal.

Finally, Martin was lowered back to the ground and the portal glowed with fires that looked all too real. "It is done. Do you have everything, Aldric?"

The Redguard nodded. "I won't stop until I have the Amulet of Kings."

Martin Septim smiled. "Good. I have faith that the Nine will bring you back. Good luck!"

A varying level of cheers and good-lucks were given out by all as Aldric stepped toward the portal to Paradise. He could feel his entire body seemingly tensing up and…compacting? He couldn't tell because once more a flash of light filled his vision and everything became black.


	35. The Amulet of Kings

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirty-Four - The Amulet of Kings

_Well this isn't what I was expecting_.

Instead of some hellish environment similar to Mehrunes Dagon' plane of Oblivion, Aldric was actually in something that could be called Paradise.

All around him lush blades of grass and beautiful trees swayed with the movements of the wind; gentle ripples on the water behind him made the air cool and he was thankful to be wearing armor. Aldric also knew that he was on some sort of island. A cobblestone pathway beneath his feet seemed to lead the way, so he started walking.

"So, the cat's paw of the Septims arrives at last," the unmistakable voice of Mankar Camoran proclaimed. It caused Aldric to briefly stop in his tracks, drawing his sword in preparation for combat, but seeing nothing, he continued slowly along the path. He wondered how the Dunmer was talking to him.

"You didn't think you could take me unaware, _here_ of all places?" Mankar continued mockingly. "In the Paradise that I created?"

Up ahead in the distance, Aldric could see an archway leading over a bridge; the architecture reminded the Redguard of Ayleid ruins. He also realized that the cobblestones were of Ayleid design as well. As he reached the bridge and began to cross it, Mankar Camoran spoke again.

"Look now upon my Paradise. Gaiar Alata, in the old tongue," the head of the Mythic Dawn continued. "A vision of the past…and the future."

Aldric realized that he was using telepathy to speak to him--in a sense, Mankar was inside his head and it was a fact that the Redguard didn't like very much. Despite his uneasiness, he was surprised that he could remain calm. When he reached the end of the bridge, he went up a set of stairs made from the same material as the cobblestones beneath him. He couldn't help but notice the beauty of this place, but he knew that there was something sinister lurking behind the scenery. Aldric swore that he saw figures of people running back and forth in the trees, as well as large lumbering forms chasing them.

"Lift your eyes to Carac Agaialor," Mankar Camoran said soothingly, "my seat at the pinnacle of Paradise. I shall await you there."

For several seconds, there was silence and Aldric was relieved that he no longer heard a voice in his head. He hadn't realized that he had been tensed up the entire time and so gradually forced himself to relax. It didn't mean that he stopped being alert, however--if anything, the silence (other than the blowing of the wind) served to put the farmer on edge.

He continued to walk down the path with his sword drawn until he reached a T-shaped intersection. Here, he was approached by a Dremora that wasn't screaming for his blood. This confused Aldric greatly, but he sheathed his ebony long-sword regardless.

"You destroyed the Sigil Tower at Ganonah," the Dremora said in a disembodied voice. Hearing it speak eloquent language chilled Aldric to the core. "My kin say you fought well."

Aldric had no idea what Ganonah was, but it must've been Daedric for Bruma--it was the only thing that made sense to him.

"Do you have a name?" Aldric asked. _It's a start_, he thought.

"Kathutet," the Daedra warrior replied. "You seek entrance to the Forbidden Grotto, but I can not let you pass."

"Why not?" Aldric resisted the urge to grab his sword and slice the demon's head off, but it was a hard thing to do.

"You need the Bands of the Chosen. Something you do not have, therefore you can not pass. Unless, of course, you do a task for me."

"And what would that be?" Aldric inquired with interest. He wanted to avoid fighting as much as possible until it was time; fighting the Dremora wasn't on his list at the moment.

The warrior went into detail about freeing the Xivilai named Anaxes from his imprisonment in a cave that was in the opposite direction of where he stood. Kathutet said that if he killed Anaxes that it would be that much harder to get the Bands. After absorbing all of this, Aldric agreed to free Anaxes and Kathutet said that he would be waiting in the Flooded Grotto.

As Aldric walked down the other path in the T intersection, he realized that Kathutet had mentioned two different grottos--the Flooded and Forbidden Grottos. For a brief period of time he became angry and felt that he had been tricked. He would soon be proven wrong.

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After searching Paradise for what seemed like an eternity, Aldric finally found the Lair of Anaxes built into the hillside down near the water. He took a moment to gaze out over the water, once again having the desire to swim away from it all, yet he knew that the water stretched on into infinity and once again, Aldric turned back to the task at hand. He pushed through the door and entered the cave.

He walked down a small slope and into a large room that had a small stream of water running horizontal through the center. On the side closest to him were three people--a female Altmer, a male Imperial, and a male Dark Elf--dressed in nothing but their pants. A deep yet shrill growl was heard throughout the cave, and Aldric immediately turned his head to the other side of the room.

Two large logs were propped up and tied to a large boulder, which seemed to be shaking furiously. _That must be Anaxes,_ Aldric thought before turning his attention back to the trio.

"Oh no, oh no!" the Imperial cried. "I don't want him to break out!"

"Agreed!" the Altmer shouting, her hand on a club strapped to her left hip.

"Who are you people?" Aldric asked, causing the trio to suddenly turn toward him with such speed that the Redguard thought he was going to be attacked. Much to his surprise, they didn't.

"We are devout followers of Mehrunes Dagon," the Dark Elf replied. "We died in the service of the Mythic Dawn."

"When we die," the Altmer added, "we come here to Paradise until it is time for us to walk the earth with our Lord, the Prince of Destruction." The female put her hand to her chest as if to salute the Daedric god himself.

"We are Ascended Immortals," the Imperial stated matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?" Aldric asked suspiciously. He was convinced that this group was crazy.

"Our existence is not a joyful one," the Imperial replied. "The Daedra here torture us and kill us mercilessly, only to be resurrected a few minutes later. Simply put, we cannot die, but we still feel the pain of our endeavour."

"And this is why you have Anaxes locked up." It wasn't a question; the fact of the matter was obvious.

The Altmer nodded. "Exactly."

"Well, I'm afraid I have something to do…" Aldric unsheathed his long-sword and started toward the boulder. He ignored the pleading cries of the Ascended Immortals who, strangely enough, made no move to stop him. He cut each of the ties on the logs, and the boulder rolled free. Out of the darkness of his prison Anaxes the Xivilai leaped with such force that the ground shook.

Aldric got a good look at the beast: Anaxes' skin was dark purple, with claws for his hands and feet. He wore a red cut-off kilt, and had red bands circling his ankles, wrists, and biceps. The eyes glowed white with a hunger that Aldric had never seen before.

He stepped out of the way and watched the destruction unfold before him. Anaxes swung his fist at the Altmer, sending her flying into the wall without a head. The Imperial tried to attack with the High Elf's fallen club, managing to lodge the sharp spiked ends into the beast's back. This merely angered the creature, who reached behind him to pull the club out of his back and swing it at the human's chest.

Amidst the chaos the Redguard had managed to slip out unseen.

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Aldric entered the Forbidden Grotto with the Bands of the Chosen securely on his wrists. Kathutet had thanked the mortal for his deed, slapped the Bands on his wrist, and then had disappeared in a gout of light. And now, Mankar Camoran had decided to invade his mind again and drone on and on about his presence in Paradise.

_Just another day in my life, _Aldric thought with semi-amusement as he lopped the head of a Scamp that had decided to approach him.

He continued through the grotto, beginning to feel like there wasn't a way out. He soon approached a chasm containing three cages with Ascended Immortals in two of them, and one remaining free. He could see the cages being lowered into the pit below, followed by a hiss, a bubbling noise, and a scream. The Immortals were being tortured by lava; the thought of it made him shiver.

"Psst! Over here!" a voice rasped to his right.

Aldric looked in that direction and saw a Mythic Dawn member clad in red robe and hood--but not attacking him. The Redguard didn't want to take the chance, so he withdrew Widowshire and leaped at the man, tackling him to the ground and putting the Elven dagger to his throat. Oddly enough, the man (who was an Altmer) didn't seem to struggle.

"I should kill you right now for all the shit your cult has caused," Aldric growled menacingly.

"Please, don't kill me!" the man said raggedly due to the blade at his throat. "I want to help you."

Aldric chuckled quietly. "You're Mythic Dawn, how could you possibly help me?"

"If you could get that dagger off of my neck, I'll tell you." The Knight Brother reluctantly sheathed his dagger and allowed the High Elf to brush himself off.

"Thank you," the Mythic Dawnsman said. "My name is Eldamil. I was one of Mankar Camoran's chief lieutenants. I helped plan Uriel Septim's assassination, as well as open the Great Gate outside of Kvatch. Three Kvatch citizens hiding in a cellar slew me and thus I was sent here to Paradise.

"However, the Master felt I was weak, remorseful, and distasteful of the idea of Paradise and has sent me here to the Forbidden Grotto to torture my comrades who show similar ingratitude for the gift of eternal life. With you here, however, we might be able to turn the tables."

"How so?" Aldric asked, suddenly intrigued.

"Well, first off, we need to get the Bands of the Chosen off of your wrists," Eldamil said. "Then we can get out of here."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because I hate this existence as much as you hate Mankar Camoran," the High Elf replied.

"Okay, what's the plan?"

Aldric listened with great interest, and for once, he smiled at the cleverness of a Mythic Dawnsman's idea. He proceeded over toward the central cage, and Eldamil closed the door.

_Nothing like a disgruntled employee to help out the Empire,_ Aldric thought with a smile as three Dremora approached the Altmer, and he was subsequently lowered into the pit.

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_Never again,_ the Redguard thought, nearly collapsing from exhaustion as he and Eldamil emerged from the Forbidden Grotto. The Bands of the Chosen magically fell off his wrists, which didn't seem to be noteworthy at all considering that he had nearly died twice while escaping from the Grotto. Eldamil, on the other hand, had died quite a few times and Aldric was thankful that the High Elf was immortal. The man had proven useful in his escape as well as a good distraction in combat.

"Mankar's Carac Agaialor is just up the hill here," Eldamil said, pointing to a large Ayleid structure up on the hill.

Aldric became increasingly nervous as he and his companion approached the ruins. He could see small lush trees, red in their leaves, growing around the inner perimeter of the structure, and a circular platform in the middle with a staircase on one side.

As the pair proceeded up the steps, in the distance the door to Carac Agaialor opened and two familiar figures in red robes walked toward him.

"Well, well, well," Ruma Camoran said as they got closer to the Redguard. "If it isn't Aldric of Rihad."

"Surprised to see us alive?" Raven asked. He smiled.

"Not really," Aldric replied, glaring down the offspring of Mankar Camoran. "My business is with your father, so you'd best stand aside."

They did, but not without returning a glare of their own. Aldric and Eldamil walked straight for the door and pushed on through.

Inside was a small room, with stairs at the back that led up to another level. Also at the rear was a throne and Mankar Camoran himself, with a large wooden staff strapped to his back. The Amulet of Kings glowed brightly around his neck.

"So the pawn in the Empire's game has finally arrived!" the Dunmer said, clapping his hands. The sound echoed throughout the room.

"Spare me the shit, Mankar!" Aldric screamed, drawing his ebony long-sword and pointing the end at the head of the Mythic Dawn. "You know why I'm here!"

He went to make a move, as did Eldamil, but both were pinned in place by mysterious forces that Mankar seemed to be controlling. He dropped his ebony long-sword against his will because of it

"I have waited a long time for you, Champion of Old Tamriel. You are the last gasp of a dying age. You breathe the stale air of false hope."

"You're full of guar dung," Aldric breathed, straining with all his might to break free of whatever forces were holding him back.

Mankar laughed--whether at his attempts to break free or his own sense of arrogance, Aldric couldn't tell. He began circling Aldric, continuing to speak. "How little you understand! You cannot stop Lord Dagon. The walls between our worlds are crumbling. The Mythic Dawn grows nearer with every rift in the firmament. Soon, _very soon,_ the lines now blurred will be erased."

The Dunmer got in Aldric's face and yelled, "Tamriel and Oblivion rejoined! The Mythic Age Reborn! Lord Dagon, shall, walk, Tamriel!"

Mankar's focus on keeping Aldric in place must've slipped because the Redguard ferociously head butt the Dark Elf so hard that he went skidding backwards on his feet. Aldric picked up his long-sword and charged at the head of the Mythic Dawn. Eldamil followed suit with an ebony dagger.

Mankar recovered, wiped the blood away from a gash in his forehead, and removed the staff from its sling, aiming it at Aldric. He sent a blast of shock magicka at Eldamil which threw the High Elf back into the wall, killing him instantly.

_Shit,_ Aldric thought. _Oh well, he'll be back._

A massive surge of adrenalin was coursing through Aldric's veins, which allowed him to dodge the second blast of shock magic from Mankar's staff. He willed a Destruction spell into his mind, and sent forth a Flame Tempest spell at the Dark Elf. Right when this happened, Ruma and Raven managed to spawn out of nowhere and were effected by the blast of fire magic, sending them both ablaze.

Mankar, on the other hand, managed to bounce the spell back at Aldric. He dodged just in time but it still caught him on the arm, setting it aflame and sending the farmer to the ground as he furiously tried putting it out.

Just then, Eldamil reappeared and threw his ebony dagger at the Master, which managed to penetrate his right thigh. The sudden impact of the dagger in his body caused Mankar to flinch and drop his staff in shock, which sent out a burst of shock magic as it hit the ground.

The blast went wide and high, and so thus avoided contact with Aldric, giving him the opening he needed. He stood from his prone position and slashed at Mankar's neck, but was surprised when the cult leader stopped the blow with the side of his hand. Blood trickled from the wound on his hand, and Aldric raised an eyebrow at the sudden move.

Yet Mankar Camoran wasn't prepared for the Redguard's follow-up attack, which involved sneaking Widowshire into his left hand. Aldric blindly stabbed toward the side of Mankar's neck, and was greeted with a fresh coat of blood to spray his arm and the floor.

"The Mythic Dawn grows dimmer with every heart beat you take," Aldric said angrily, staring right into the man's eyes.

Camoran smiled, revealing a set of blood-stained teeth. "It is over. Thank you for ending this."

Then the illegitimate son of the Camoran Usurper keeled over and died in Paradise.

Suddenly, the building began to shake and chunks of the ceiling began to fall apart. He swore he could hear Eldamil say 'thank you' as well as the furious angry curses of Mankar's children.

_The Paradise he created is dissolving around me,_ he realized alarmingly. Aldric made a grab for the Amulet of Kings on the man's neck and held on to it tight as the room exploded and he once again saw nothing but black.


	36. Imperial Dragonfires

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Chapter Thirty-Five - Imperial Dragonfires

A massive fire filled his vision, which was blurry at best. Aldric slowly began to recall that Mankar Camoran's Paradise had collapsed and he had blacked out. He mentally remarked on how tiresome blacking out had become but gradually his vision began to focus.

"Are you alright?" Martin asked, leaning Aldric up slowly. He started applying healing magic to his body in case he had been injured.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you," Aldric replied. He held up his right hand, the Amulet of Kings gleaming brightly in the fireplace's light. "And I have the Amulet."

A loud roar of cheers and joyful cries broke out amongst the assembled group of Blades, congratulating Aldric on his success.

"Thanks, guys," he said with a smile. "But let's remember what we need to do."

"Right," Jauffre put in. "In your absence, we contacted Imperial Battlemage Ocato and he has agreed to officially recognize Martin as the Emperor, as well as bestow his blessing."

"That's good!" the Redguard said enthusiastically.

"Now that you're back," Martin interjected, "we can get going to the Imperial City. So let's go everyone."

Everybody ran off to their quarters or posts to retrieve what would be needed for the journey to the Imperial City Palace. Uvani and Aldric were waiting by the doors to the Main Hall, feeling it necessary for them to stay out of the way of the Blades.

"So how did you do?" the Nerevarine asked.

"Stabbed him in the neck," Aldric replied. "It wasn't easy, though. Bastard had a staff that shot lightning out of the end."

"But in the end, he is slain and Tamriel is safe once more." The Dark Elf patted him on the shoulder. "You did well, Aldric. You've saved the Empire."

Aldric smiled. "I guess I have."

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Compared to his entrance before the Battle of Bruma, Martin's entrance when he arrived at Green Emperor Way was more quiet. The excitement felt by all was just under the surface, but before any celebrations could occur, the official coronation process had to take place.

Even so, Martin Septim proudly displayed the Amulet of Kings around his neck. The robe he was wearing caused Aldric to recall the fact that Uriel Septim had worn the exact same type of outfit on the day that he died. _That day seems so long ago,_ Aldric thought absently.

As the small procession of Martin, Uvani, Caius, Aldric, Baurus, and Jauffre entered the Imperial Palace, the guards greeted them warmly.

"Hail, Dragonblood," the guardsmen flanking the Chamber entrance said in unison.

Martin smiled and nodded back as he proceeded into the Elder Council Chamber where Ocato stood, the guards closing the doors behind them.

"We have been expecting you," Ocato said to the group. "The full Council has already considered the matter of Martin's claim to the Imperial Throne in detail."

The aged High Elf approached Martin and lay a hand on his head. "Martin Septim, on behalf of the Elder Council, I accept your claim to the Imperial Throne. We should arrange the coronation ceremony as soon as--"

The doors suddenly burst open, surprising the guards standing next to it and causing everyone's head to turn in that direction. A man dressed in the Imperial Legion armor staggered into the Chamber, clutching his stomach to keep from bleeding out.

"Chancellor Ocato! Chancellor Ocato!" he screamed, running toward the group and collapsing to one knee. "Chancellor Ocato! The city is under attack! Oblivion Gates have opened, and Daedra are inside the walls! The guard is overwhelmed!"

"No…" Jauffre said with disbelief.

_It can't be! I destroyed Mankar Camoran!_ Aldric's mind screamed.

"Courage, soldier," Ocato said calmly. "We have an Emperor again."

"Your Highness, what are your orders? Shall the Guard fall back to the Palace?" the bloody Legionnaire asked.

"No," Martin said firmly and Aldric was stunned at the man's demeanor. Gone was the timid, shy man he had first met. Here before him was the Emperor of Tamriel. "If we let ourselves get besieged in the Palace, we're doomed. We must get to the Temple of the One _immediately_."

"As you command, sire. Protect the Emperor!" Ocato ordered, but the group that had come with Martin didn't need such orders. The Blades knew what needed to be done.

At the moment, four Dremora warriors stormed through the front door and slaughtered the guardsmen outside before barging into the Council Chamber. The two guards stationed by the door decapitated two of the Dremora but were knocked back by the second pair. Caius nocked an arrow in his bow and shot one through the eye and Jauffre cut down the last. Blood stained the outer corridor as well as the entrance to the Chamber.

"Let's move!" Jauffre ordered as the group closed toward the front door and emerged outside, with Ocato in tow. The two guards stationed in the Palace Chamber were tending to the wounded soldier inside.

Outside, the sky was crimson red--the undeniable tell-tale of an Oblivion invasion.

_By the Nine! What will become of the citizens?!_ Aldric thought. He concentrated sending waves of frost magicka at a few Fire Atronachs and lopping off the legs of a strange spider-type of daedra he had never seen before. It was chaos all across the perimeter of the Green Emperor Way.

He heard a groan off to his right, and to his horror Aldric saw Baurus taking hits from a Storm Atronach. He was furiously trying to back away on his butt and legs, but to no avail. The Daedra sent a bolt of lightning at the Redguard and crushed him with his chest for good measure. The Atronach subsequently crumbled when Caius shot an arrow at its rocky face, falling to the ground in various pieces.

"NO!" Aldric cried, and ran over to his friend, ignoring the combat alll around. The Redguard hugged his fellow countryman tight, unable to accept the death of his friend.

"Aldric," Baurus rasped weakly. He was still alive!

"What is it, friend?" Aldric asked, trying not to choke up.

"Get Martin…to the Temple…of the One." A stream of blood streamed from the corner of his mouth. "Thank you for saving my life back in the sewers. But I'm afraid you can't…"

"Baurus? Baurus! Come on man! Don't die on me now!"

It was futile, for Baurus was truly gone this time. Aldric wanted to scream, to yell, and to cry all at once. There had been too much pain on this journey, but he had come a long way through it all. He had seen so much death, and he felt he was ready to snap. But he couldn't…not now. He had to keep himself in check just a little bit longer.

He looked to the skys, which were still red, but he could see smoke rising up in the various parts of the Imperial City. The capital was burning.

"Alright!" Jauffre called out. "Report! Any casualties?"

"Just Baurus…" Aldric said quietly.

"By the dear Nine!" Jauffre cried out and rushed to his body, as did the rest of the group. "Aldric…I know how close you and him were…but I need you, Uvani, and Caius to get Martin to the Temple. We'll stay here to protect the Palace."

"Will do," Uvani said confidently, nodding. "Hey Caius, can you still use a blade?"

The elder Imperial dropped his bow and pulled out a short-sword from his waist. "Of course, Nerevar-Reborn. I'm not _that _old yet."

"Alright, let's go," Aldric said. "Come on Martin!"

The four charged for the gates that led to the Temple District, who were being closely guarded by four Imperial soldiers. "Do we get reinforcements?" Uvani asked them.

"No. Everybody else is cut off!" one yelled back. "If its just you four, that's all you'll get!"

_Here goes nothing,_ the Redguard thought as the guards cracked the gates just enough to let the four slip by before quickly closing them again.

All around them the various houses and apartments in the Temple District were either burnt to the ground or still burning, yet the Temple of the One stood strong. However, the group's journey immediately came to a halt as the wreckage of a building blocked access from the left side. However, a group of soldiers seemed to viciously howling off to the right.

"Let's see if we can help them," Caius said.

But as they turned the corner, the sight before them was jaw-dropping indeed. On the right side of the Temple of the One was a group of about ten soldiers fighting a massive red-skinned, four-armed beast wielding an axe. It was Mehrunes Dagon himself.

"By the Gods…it's useless!" Aldric cried. "Forgetting containing Oblivion! It's already fucking here!"

"No!" Martin shouted. "There is another way!"

The three looked at the young Emperor, waiting for his answer. "Lighting the Dragonfires is now a useless endeavour because Dagon is already here. He is immortal, but if he can be _hurt_ by mortal weapons. If you three do enough damage, you might be able to stagger him and we can race past."

"It's the only option we got," Uvani Lloros said grimly. "It could just work. Martin, stay close enough to us that we can run past. Caius, Aldric…CHARGE!"

The three men raised their swords above their heads and charged toward the massive sight of Mehrunes Dagon. The giant Daedric god didn't seem to notice them as they rapidly approached his feet and simultaneously slashed deep into the giant's legs.

A loud shrill cry of pain could be heard for miles emitted from the giant Prince of Destruction, causing him to stumble back and make craters with his large feet.

"GO! Get into the Temple, NOW!" Martin screamed at the top of his lungs, nearly on the heels of Uvani, Caius, and Aldric. They sprinted as fast as possible past the reeling giant and Aldric cocked his leg back and kicked in the door to the Temple of the One, quickly closing it behind them.

"Aldric. Caius. Uvani." The young Imperial man looked at each man as he said their names. "I've had a vision. I know now what I was born to."

Caius and Uvani seemed confused by the words, but they chilled Aldric to the core. For he recalled the same words from the man's father in the bowel of the Imperial Prison. He knew he was going to die today, and he had accepted it.

"No…" Aldric whispered sadly, too quiet for any of them to pick up amongst the noise outside, which had become deafening.

"I'm sorry I won't be around to help rebuild Tamriel. It's been nice knowing you. And Aldric…you are a hero to the people of Tamriel."

With that the young Emperor walked calmly to the Dragonfire bowl, ripping the Amulet of Kings off of his neck. Just as he approached the altar, the roof of the Temple of the One was unceremoniously ripped off by Mehrunes Dagon. The force of the roof's removal was like a shockwave, throwing Aldric, Caius and Uvani into the wall. Yet Martin was still standing, staring up at the demonic god utterly fearless.

"You want to mess with my people?! My _Empire_?!" Martin Septim, illegitimate son of Uriel Septim VII, screamed with furious rage. He sat the Amulet of Kings on the altar and smashed it with his fist. "You'll have to get through a Dragonblood!"

A great gout of fire seemed to engulf the entire room, but Martin was no more. Instead, a striking sight--a flaming beast with wings--appeared in the sky. It was an avatar of Akatosh, the God of Time!

_By the Nine…he transformed into Akatosh! _Aldric cried. He started laughing. "Hell yeah! Get him! Kick his ass back into Oblivion!"

Mehrunes Dagon and the avatar of Akatosh began meleeing in the middle of the Temple District, exchanging punches and claw swipes, battling for the fate of Cyrodiil. It was a marvelous sight to behold and Aldric knew he was watching history in the making.

The intense spectacle ended when Akatosh buried its jaws into Dagon's neck, wounding him, and breathing a holy breath of fire. Mehrunes Dagon stumbled, blood gushing from his neck (and effectively creating bloody rain), and fell to the ground with a large _BOOM_ that shook the entire city. A massive cloud of dust swallowed the whole Temple and when the dust finally settled, the avatar of Akatosh was gone.

But in place of the Temple of the One stood a massive stone statue of Akatosh in a striking pose. The Oblivion Crisis was over.

But at the cost of another Emperor--for Martin, too, was gone.


	37. The Last Laugh

-1The Jaws of Oblivion

Epilogue - The Last Laugh

The campfire provided a kind of warmth that he had been seeking for so long. Everything was finally in its place, and he finally felt at peace with himself. Aldric rubbed his hands together and placed them above the fire, enjoying the heat coming off of the flames.

It had been two days since the Oblivion Crisis had ended and he was currently taking up shelter in the Ayleid ruin Vilverin just outside of the entrance to the Imperial Prison Sewers. The bodies of the bandits he had killed were scattered about the first floor of the ruin, their blood already dry. Yet events from the previous two days were still as crystal-clear as they had been two days prior.

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_Aldric assumed that the Oblivion Gates that had opened throughout the city were gone, because Imperial Battlemage Ocato rushed into the Temple of the One moments after what had transpired._

"_Martin! Where is he?!" he asked with worried._

_All Aldric could do was point to the massive stone statue of Akatosh that sat in the center of the Temple and watch the High Elf's expression change from worry to mild shock._

"_So he…sacrificed himself for the greater good…he will truly be remembered as the greatest Emperor of all time, despite his short reign."_

_Caius approached the pair from his position. "Hey, has anybody seen Uvani?"_

_The three looked around the room, but saw no sign of Uvani Lloros, Nerevar-Reborn. It was as though he had simply disappeared._

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The fact that Uvani had disappeared was mildly off-putting, but understandable in the grand scheme of things. After seeing the true power of the Nine at work, any belief he must've held about the Tribunal Temple must've been shattered.

Then again, what little belief he did harbor must've been destroyed long ago when Almalexia had gone mad. Vivec was all that was left of the Tribunal. Uvani's reasons for the sudden departure were his own, and Aldric doubted that he would ever see the Nerevarine ever again. However, that wasn't all that was on his mind. He closed his eyes to think as he continued holding his hands above the fire.

During the Crisis, while venturing about the various cities, he had heard various rumors floating around about the other provinces in Tamriel, most of which wasn't positive. A group of mages was leading a boycott of Imperial goods in the Altmer land of Summerset Isle; Daedra worship had also become increasingly prevalent, a fact made more disturbing when one considered that the Oblivion Crisis had effected other provinces as well. Another rumor was that Vivec had vanished--the city, not the person, and also that Ald'ruhn had been overrun by Daedra.

But despite those grim rumors, the reports Caius had been receiving since the end of the Crisis suggested that the Empire had faired well against the Daedric invasion rather well. Aldric was thankful that Hammerfell, and especially Rihad, were still in one piece. But it was a mild feeling of relief at best, as he had nothing to go home to. He had been born unknown, raised unknown, and in his mind, was still unknown. Ocato had christened him the "Champion of Cyrodiil", something he had liked at first but soon grew tired of quickly when people kept bombarding him with questions.

Aldric was a humble man, and while he had admired his fellow countrymen and women for taking up the path of the sword, he had only taken up the same path because he had to. It hadn't been his choice to follow the path he had taken; the Nine had shoved him on the path. It was Fate, and looking back, he wondered what would've been different. The "what if's" kept building up until he shook his head and told him to stop--it was pointless to argue with himself.

The Redguard had found peace and quiet within Vilverin…that is, after clearing it of bandits. It had been his home for two days now, and the quiet of the Ayleid ruin (save for the occasional shimmer of one of the crystal chandeliers) made him rest easy. Yet still, he couldn't cope with the loss of life. He was very much alone--no parents, only one friend, and no wife. That realization, which had occurred to him soon after the Oblivion Crisis ended, left him depressed.

With a start, Aldric jerked his eyes open. He swore he thought he had heard a crash nearby. He slowly leaned his head upward and noticed that one of the Welkynd stones had been knocked from its pedestal. Then he saw a blur of movement in the shadows; it moved with such speed that Aldric couldn't tell what it was.

As he went for his ebony long-sword that lay up against a crate with his ebony shield, the blur charged at him and sped through the spot where he had just been sitting. Aldric pivoted on his heel and turned to face where the figure had gone, and was surprised to have his long-sword knocked out of his hand and thrown across the room.

Before him stood a man who's face was gaunt and the cheeks were sunken inward, who's skin was pale white, and who's red eyes glowed brightly.

"Remember me, little mortal?" the man said.

Aldric remembered exactly who it was the moment he saw his face: it was the vampire that had nearly ended his life back in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. He involuntarily scooted backward on his butt, managing to stand up facing the menace.

"I remember you," Aldric replied, trying not to let his fear show in his voice. "Tell me your name."

"Vicente Valtieri," the man replied. "Executioner for the Dark Brotherhood."

"Why are you here? I've already put up with enough bullshit," Aldric mused.

The Breton vampire cackled in a disembodied voice that was laced with evil. "Little mortal, if you think you have it rough, you don't know what its like to walk on the dark side of life.

"I've been a vampire for three-hundred fucking years, ever since my excursion deep into the Ashlands of Vvardenfell. I hunted in secret for one-hundred years until the Brotherhood found me. My life became only slightly better, however…I found a family in them. But _you_! You had to _ruin_ everything!"

"Vicente, look at it like this," Aldric said, trying to reason with this dangerous man to avoid combat. "I had to do what I had to do. Falvis killed my father, the only father I ever had. My own _mother_ was Dark Brotherhood. I have nobody."

"Don't you see it!" Vicente screamed at the ceiling, stretching his arms out as he did so. "Neither do I! It's irrelevant! My parents died young, and my Brothers and Sisters were the only thing that was close to family! And you killed them all, so now you will pay!"

With frightening speed, Vicente charged over toward Aldric and knocked him back against one of the various pillars in the room. To his horror, the Redguard found himself pinned down by the Breton vampire and no matter how much he strained he couldn't move.

That's when he started feeling the vampire bite into his neck, and the fear of vampires soon manifested and he began to sob loudly as the Breton dug deeper into his neck.

Then he remembered that he still had the ring that Irlav Jarol had given him! With all his might, Aldric concentrated on willing a Flame Tempest spell and placed his palm on the vampire's chest. The room soon became brighter as Vicente Valtieri jumped away from Aldric, screaming in a demonic disembodied voice as his flesh began to burn.

"You bastard!" Valtieri cursed as the skin on his face literally melted off of his bones. He began to disintegrate into a puddle of fleshy goop and the screaming began to die down.

Aldric, however, was in no need to celebrate. He felt his neck where he had been bitten and realized he was still bleeding. The shock of such a revelation caused him to collapse to his knees and the last thing he remembered seeing before passing out was Vicente Valtieri's half-melted head staring into his eyes. The last thought that ran through his head was: _I hope I just die. Please, Talos, just let me die._

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_Something's not right,_ a voice in his head thought alarmed as he began to stir. His head pounded heavily as though from a headache, then he screamed.

He recalled having a horrible nightmare of himself sleeping peacefully in bed, until a shadowy gaunt figure silently entered the room. The figure had leaned down and drove its fangs into him, and after a few moments, he had risen with blood dripping down his chin. Color had began to return to the vampire's face, the features filling out, and he recognize the face as his own. That was why he had screamed just a few seconds ago.

With panic, Aldric realized he was still alive--something that he had prayed to not happen. The bite wound on his neck was gone, but he felt…different. With the panic inside him steadily increasing, he quickly crawled on hands and knees toward his ebony shield.

He looked in the shiny, reflective side as though it were a mirror and his mouth dropped open.

His dark, chocolate skin had become slightly paler and his eyes now glowed red.

"No, no, no, no," he said with heavy disbelief. "This can't be…"

He opened his mouth and to his horror, he had started to grow fangs.

The Redguard rose until he was on his knees, screaming a long angry curse at the Nine because he was unable to accept what he had just seen. Aldric had become a vampire.

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_Author's Note: Well, that's it! I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I had writing it. But this isn't the end of Aldric…there will be more to come soon enough. For now, that's all!_


End file.
